| 2017–18 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Coates | |||
| Manager | Mark Hughes (until 6 January 2018) Eddie Niedzwiecki (caretaker) (until 15 January 2018) Paul Lambert (from 16 January 2018) | |||
| Stadium | bet365 Stadium | |||
| Premier League | 19th (relegated) | |||
| FA Cup | Third round | |||
| EFL Cup | Third round | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Xherdan Shaqiri (8) All: Xherdan Shaqiri (8) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 30,022 vEverton (17 March 2018) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 27,458 vWatford (31 January 2018) | |||
The 2017–18Stoke City season was the club's tenth season in thePremier League and the 62nd in thetop tier of English football.[1]
There were major changes to the Stoke squad in the summer of 2017 with the departures ofMarko Arnautović,Phil Bardsley,Joselu,Jonathan Walters,Philipp Wollscheid andGlenn Whelan whilstGiannelli Imbula,Bojan Krkić andMarc Muniesa left on season-long loans. Coming into the team wereEric Maxim Choupo-Moting,Darren Fletcher,Bruno Martins Indi,Josh Tymon andKevin Wimmer withJesé andKurt Zouma joining on loan.
Stoke initially made a good start to the season with a 1–0 win againstArsenal and a 2–2 draw withManchester United. However their defensive problems returned as heavy defeats against Chelsea (4–0), Manchester City (7–2), Liverpool (3–0), Tottenham Hotspur (5–1) and West Ham United (3–0) saw supporters turn against Mark Hughes. After an embarrassingFA Cup exit atLeague TwoCoventry City in January, Hughes had his contract terminated by the club, and he was replaced by the formerAston Villa andNorwich City managerPaul Lambert. Lambert managed to improve the leaky defence but it left Stoke anemic as an attacking side meaning they were unable to see out victories and escape the relegation zone, Stoke finishing in 19th position three points from safety, ending their ten-year spell in the Premier League.
On 16 May 2017 Stoke announced thatmobile game,Top Eleven, will be the club's sleeve sponsor.[2][3] Stoke announced pre-season friendly's against Swiss sidesNeuchâtel Xamax andBSC Young Boys in theUhrencup,Championship sidesBolton Wanderers andSheffield United,League TwoCrewe Alexandra,Bundesliga sideRB LeipzigandLigue 1 sideAS Monaco.[4][5][6][7]
Stoke announced their retained list on 26 May 2017, departing the club were goalkeepersShay Given andDaniel Bachmann whilst U23 players, Liam Edwards, Harry Isted,Joel Taylor andGeorge Waring also left the club.[8] Stoke's first signing of the 2017–18 season was Scottish veteranDarren Fletcher on a free fromWest Bromwich Albion.[9] The Stoke squad returned to training on 5 July 2017 and on the same day Stoke completed the signing of young left-backJosh Tymon fromHull City.[10] On 7 July 2017Jonathan Walters joinedBurnley for £3 million after spending seven years with the Potters.[11] The squad then departed for their Swiss training camp nearBiel/Bienne on 9 July 2017.[12] Prior to the first match of pre-season Belgian U23 duoJulien Ngoy andThibaud Verlinden were promoted to the first team.[13]
However they also suffered a blow with the news thatMarko Arnautović had submitted a transfer request.[14] Stoke began their pre-season with a 1–0 win againstSwiss Challenge League sideNeuchâtel Xamax withIgor Djuric scoring a late own goal.[15]BSC Young Boys were Stoke's final opponents in theUhrencup on 12 July 2017. The Swiss side scored twice either side of half-time throughGuillaume Hoarau andYoric Ravet. Stoke hit back with goals fromCharlie Adam andMarc Muniesa and the match ended in a 2–2 draw. The winner was determined by a penalty shoot-out with Stoke winning 4–3 after 16 spot kicks.[16] Stoke's last match in Switzerland was a 4–2 defeat againstAS Monaco.[17] On 20 July 2017 long servingGlenn Whelan joinedAston Villa after nine years with the Potters.[18] DefenderKurt Zouma arrived on a season-long loan fromChelsea.[19]
Stoke sold Arnautović toWest Ham United for a club record fee of £20 million before they beatAmiens SC 1–0 at theStade de la Licorne, Diouf scoring the only goal.[20] On 25 July 2017Phil Bardsley joined Burnley and Stoke lost 2–1 at Championship sideSheffield United.[21] City then beatBolton Wanderers 2–1 on 29 July withJoselu scoring twice.[22] Stoke played German sideFC St. Pauli on 1 August 2017 to mark the start of a strategic partnership between the two clubs. St. Pauli won 4–2 with Joselu scoring a second consecutive brace.[23] Stoke ended a busy pre-season programme with a match againstRB Leipzig at theRed Bull Arena. Despite falling behind early on to anEmil Forsberg penalty, City won the match 2–1 with a header from Diouf and an own goal fromMarvin Compper.[24]
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 July 2017 | Neuchâtel Xamax | A | 1–0 | Djuric 87' (o.g.) | Report |
| 2 | 12 July 2017 | BSC Young Boys | A | 2–2 (4–3 pens) | Adam 52', (pen),Muniesa 57' | Report |
| 3 | 15 July 2017 | AS Monaco | A | 2–4 | Berahino 10',Diouf 47' | Report |
| 4 | 22 July 2017 | Amiens SC | A | 1–0 | Diouf 45' | Report |
| 5 | 25 July 2017 | Sheffield United | A | 1–2 | Shaqiri 35' | Report |
| 6 | 29 July 2017 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–1 | Joselu (2) 77', 88' | Report |
| 7 | 1 August 2017 | FC St. Pauli | A | 2–4 | Joselu (2) 41', 67' | Report |
| 8 | 5 August 2017 | RB Leipzig | A | 2–1 | Diouf 44',Compper 78' (o.g.) | Report |
The 2017–18 season fixtures were announced on 14 June with Stoke beginning the campaign away atEverton.[25][26]
For the season opener atGoodison Park,Mark Hughes decided to play a 5–2–3 formation, giving debuts to new arrivalsDarren Fletcher andKurt Zouma. In what was evenly contested match, the Toffees were able to claim a 1–0 win thanks to aWayne Rooney header in first half stoppage time. Stoke's best chance came in the final minute of the match whenJordan Pickford produced a fine save to deny a long range strike fromXherdan Shaqiri.[27][28]
Stoke's first home match of the season was against old adversariesArsenal. The capacity of thebet365 Stadium was now at just over 30,000 following the filling in of the south-east corner. A new record crowd of 29,459 witnessed the Potters win 1–0 with new loan signingJesé scoring just after half time. Arsenal had 77% ball possession but were unable to force an equalizer althoughAlexandre Lacazette did have a goal ruled out for a tight offside.[29][30]
Stoke ended August with the short trip tothe Hawthorns to take onTony Pulis'West Bromwich Albion. In a match of few chances the Baggies took the lead throughJay Rodriguez in the 61st minute. A defensive mix up betweenBen Foster andAhmed Hegazi allowedPeter Crouch to head into an empty net to earn Stoke a 1–1 draw.[31]
Hughes gave a debut to his new £18 million defender,Kevin Wimmer for the visit ofManchester United who arrived in the Potteries having won all their first three matches without conceding. Stoke put in a strong performance and took the lead on 43 minutes throughEric Maxim Choupo-Moting. That lead was short lived however as a header fromPaul Pogba was deflected in byMarcus Rashford. The Red Devils then went in front throughRomelu Lukaku on 57 minutes. Jesé forcedDavid de Gea into a fine save and from the resulting corner Choupo-Moting scored his second goal and the match ended in a 2–2 draw.[32]
Stoke then made the long trip toSt James' Park to play against newly promotedNewcastle United. Stoke put in a disappointing performance and lost 2–1 withChristian Atsu andJamaal Lascelles finding the net either side of aXherdan Shaqiri strike. The result could have been worse had former striker,Joselu not squandered several good chances.[33]
After a disappointing exit in the League Cup, Stoke faced the champions,Chelsea without defenders, Cameron, Shawcross, Wimmer and Zouma. Chelsea took full advantage of Stoke's defensive injuries and won 4–0 withÁlvaro Morata hitting a hat-trick.[34]
The Potters ended September with a home match againstMauricio Pellegrino'sSouthampton. Stoke took the lead on 40 minutes withMame Biram Diouf heading in a Shaqiri corner, and they had the chance to double their lead afterSaido Berahino was brought down in the penalty area byVirgil van Dijk. Berahino, still without a Stoke goal, took the penalty but it was poor and easily saved byFraser Forster. The Saints drew level on 75 minutes through an acrobatic strike from Japanese defenderMaya Yoshida, but Stoke claimed victory with Crouch tapping in from close range.[35][36]
Following the international break Stoke faced a daunting trip to title favoritesManchester City and Mark Hughes decided to give a debut to academy graduateTom Edwards. Stoke made a terrible start to the match and were three down after half an hour with goals fromGabriel Jesus,Raheem Sterling andDavid Silva. Stoke briefly made a comeback with a goal from Diouf and an own goal fromKyle Walker but Stoke had no answer to Man City's fast attacking play and goals from Jesus,Fernandinho,Leroy Sané andBernardo Silva condemned Stoke to their second heaviest Premier League defeat.[37]
Stoke then lost again the following week at home toEddie Howe'sBournemouth which increased supporter unrest towards Mark Hughes. The Cherries scored two quick fire goals in the first half throughAndrew Surman and a penalty fromJunior Stanislas, Diouf scored his third goal in as many matches but it ended 2–1.[38] Despite the defeat the Stoke board insisted that they still back Hughes.[39]
After conceding 20 goals the first nine matches Hughes decided to employ a defensive approach away at in-formWatford. The change in approach paid off as Stoke ground out a 1–0 win thanks to a volley from Darren Fletcher.[40] There were a number of confrontations during the match with Hornets captainTroy Deeney later being charged with violent conduct.[41]The FA also charged both Watford and Stoke for failing to control their players.[42]
City's first match of November was againstClaude Puel'sLeicester City at home. The Foxes were the brighter side in the first half and took the lead throughVicente Iborra. Shaqiri equalized for Stoke before half time butRiyad Mahrez put Leicester back in front after 60 minutes. Peter Crouch came off the bench and headed pastKasper Schmeichel to earn Stoke a 2–2 draw.[43]
Stoke then made the long trip south for their first match at theFalmer Stadium, to play againstBrighton & Hove Albion in what was the first top flight meeting between the clubs since 1983. Choupo-Moting scored after 28 minutes after being put through by Shaqiri.Pascal Groß leveled for Brighton just before half time but Stoke responded instantly with a header fromKurt Zouma. However Stoke again failed to hold on to their lead andJosé Izquierdo earnedChris Hughton's side a point.[44]
Stoke played bottom of the tableCrystal Palace on 25 November and were beaten 2–1. Shaqiri had given Stoke the lead with a fine individual goal but Palace scored throughRuben Loftus-Cheek andMamadou Sakho.[45]
The Potters ended a poor November with a 3–0 home defeat againstLiverpool with goals fromSadio Mané and two fromMohamed Salah.[46]
Stoke began the Christmas period with a narrow victory over relegation rivalsSwansea City.Wilfried Bony gave the Swans an early lead before two quick goal from Shaqiri and Diouf set Stoke up for a 2–1 win.[47] After the match it was revealed that Jese left the bench before the end of the match and was subsequently fined by Hughes.[48]
City then had a rare trip toWembley, the temporary home ofTottenham Hotspur. Stoke put in an embarrassing performance, losing 5–1.[49] This prompted a furious reaction from the Stoke supporters who chanted against the manager.[50] This continued back at Stoke train station where angry supporters confronted Hughes and the players.[51]
Stoke fell to another defeat this time going down 1–0 away at in-formBurnley atTurf Moor,Ashley Barnes scoring the only goal in the 88th minute.[52]
The next home match againstDavid Moyes'West Ham United was delayed by an hour after a power cut effected thebet365 Stadium and surrounding area. West Ham took the lead in controversial circumstances asMark Noble scored from the spot afterManuel Lanzini went down in the area under minimal contact from Pieters and was later charged with diving by the FA.[53] Stoke failed to get back into the match and further goals fromDiafra Sakho and ex-Stoke playerMarko Arnautovic lead to more fan unrest towards Hughes.[54]
Prior to the match against Midland's rivalsWest Bromwich Albion, Hughes had to reject claims that his job at Stoke was under threat.Joe Allen and Choupo-Moting put Stoke into a 2–0 half time lead against the Baggies but a mistake by Shawcross let inSalomón Rondón to score. West Brom put Stoke under considerable pressure but a counterattack in the final moments allowedRamadan Sobhi to score his first Premier League goal to make it 3–1.[55]
On Boxing day the Potters travelled toHuddersfield Town in what was the first top flight meeting between the clubs since 1972. City made a terrible start asTom Ince gave the home side an early lead and then Shawcross had to leave due to injury. Ramadan scored his second goal in two matches and the game ended in a 1–1 draw.[56]
Stoke's final match of a poor 2017 saw them travel to championsChelsea. Hughes decided to play a weakened team in order to rest players for the match against relegation rivals Newcastle United on New Years Day and Chelsea went on to win 5–0.[57]
Hughes's decision to rest players against Chelsea backfired as Newcastle United won 1–0,Ayoze Perez scoring the only goal of a poor quality match.[58]
After losing 2–1 toLeague Two sideCoventry City in the FA Cup, on 6 January, Hughes was sacked by the club bringing an end to his four-and-a-half-year spell as manager.[59] FormerAston Villa,Blackburn Rovers,Norwich City andWolverhampton Wanderers managerPaul Lambert was chosen by the board as Hughes' successor.[60] The board had previously approachedQuique Sánchez Flores andMartin O'Neill but were unsuccessful.[61][62]
Eddie Niedzwiecki took charge of Stoke's trip toManchester United with Lambert watching on high in the stands atOld Trafford. Despite Stoke putting in an improved performance Man United proved far too strong and won 3–0 with goals fromRomelu Lukaku,Anthony Martial andAntonio Valencia.[63]
Paul Lambert's first match in charge of the Potters was against fellow relegation rivalsHuddersfield Town. Under Lambert Stoke showed more energy and urgency but were unable to trouble Terriers 'keeperJonas Lössl in the opening 45. In the second half goals from Allen and Diouf earned Stoke a vital 2–0 victory to move them out of the relegation places.[64]
On 31 January Stoke brought in Senegalese midfielderBadou Ndiaye from Turkish clubGalatasaray for a fee of £14 million.[65] Stoke then played out a drab goalless draw against Watford.[66]
The Potters made the long trip toBournemouth and took an early lead through a Shaqiri header. Stoke dominated the first half however the Cherries turned the match around in the second half and inflicted a damaging defeat on Stoke.[67]
Stoke then missed a golden opportunity to claim three points against Brighton. Shaqiri had cancelled out Izquierdo opener before in the dying stages Stoke were awarded a penalty after Jese was fouled byDale Stephens. Charlie Adam took the kick but saw his effort saved byMathew Ryan and Adam was then unable to score the rebound.[68]
City were then left to rue another missed opportunity in their next match at Leicester City. Stoke took the lead just before half time through another Shaqiri strike and were doing well to hold off a pacey Leicester side. However an uncharacteristic error fromJack Butland handed Leicester a draw.[69]
Stoke then traveled to relegation rivalsSouthampton on 3 March. The match was of very poor quality and both sides ended up cancelling each other out in a drab 0–0 draw leaving Stoke remaining in the relegation zone.[70]
Run-away leadersManchester City were Stoke's next opponents and easily won 2–0 with a brace fromDavid Silva, Stoke doing well to keep the scoreline respectable.[71]
Stoke then suffered another home defeat this time against Everton. The match was played in snowy conditions and the match took a turn for the worse when Charlie Adam was sent off for a tackle on Wayne Rooney. Everton took full advantage of the extra man and scored twice throughCenk Tosun either side of a Choupo-Moting strike. Despite the defeat Lambert remained confident of survival.[72]
Stoke's first match of April was at Arsenal. After putting in a spirited display the match turned in the 75th minute when Arsenal were awarded a soft penalty,Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring. From there on the players lost belief and further goals from Aubameyang and another penalty this time fromAlexandre Lacazette condemned Stoke to another defeat.[73]
City's slide into the Championship continued after a narrow defeat to Tottenham Hotspur,Christian Eriksen scoring twice either side of a goal from Mame Diouf.[74]
Stoke then let slip yet another opportunity to gain a victory this time at West Ham United. After a goalless first half Stoke took the lead through Crouch with ten minutes remaining following an error byJoe Hart, butAndy Carroll equalized for the Hammers in the 90th minute.[75]
Stoke again failed to see out a victory in their next match against Burnley.Badou Ndiaye had given the Potters an early lead before poor defending allowedAshley Barnes to score and the match ended in a 1–1 draw, leaving relegation inevitable.[76]
They then played out a goalless draw away atLiverpool on 28 April, leaving Stoke 3 points from safety with two games remaining although all their relegation rivals had games in hand and a much superior goal difference.[77]
Stoke then faced Crystal Palace on 5 May, knowing only a win would be enough to take the fight for survival to the last day of the season. However, despite Shaqiri giving Stoke the lead in the first half, second half goals fromJames McArthur andPatrick van Aanholt condemned the Potters to Championship football.[78]
Stoke ended a disastrous season with a 2–1 win at Swansea City with goals from Badou and Crouch. The result relegated Swansea and also ensured that the Potters did not finish bottom of the table.[79]
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 August 2017 | Everton | A | 0–1 | 39,045 | Report | |
| 2 | 19 August 2017 | Arsenal | H | 1–0 | 29,459 | Jesé 47' | Report |
| 3 | 27 August 2017 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 | 22,704 | Crouch 77' | Report |
| 4 | 9 September 2017 | Manchester United | H | 2–2 | 29,320 | Choupo-Moting (2) 43', 63' | Report |
| 5 | 16 September 2017 | Newcastle United | A | 1–2 | 51,795 | Shaqiri 57' | Report |
| 6 | 23 September 2017 | Chelsea | H | 0–4 | 29,661 | Report | |
| 7 | 30 September 2017 | Southampton | H | 2–1 | 29,285 | Diouf 40',Crouch 85' | Report |
| 8 | 14 October 2017 | Manchester City | A | 2–7 | 54,128 | Diouf 44',Walker 47' (o.g.) | Report |
| 9 | 21 October 2017 | Bournemouth | H | 1–2 | 29,500 | Diouf 63' | Report |
| 10 | 28 October 2017 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 20,087 | Fletcher 16' | Report |
| 11 | 4 November 2017 | Leicester City | H | 2–2 | 29,602 | Shaqiri 39',Crouch 73' | Report |
| 12 | 20 November 2017 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–2 | 29,676 | Choupo-Moting 28',Zouma 45+1' | Report |
| 13 | 25 November 2017 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–2 | 23,723 | Shaqiri 53' | Report |
| 14 | 29 November 2017 | Liverpool | H | 0–3 | 29,423 | Report | |
| 15 | 2 December 2017 | Swansea City | H | 2–1 | 28,261 | Shaqiri 36',Diouf 40' | Report |
| 16 | 9 December 2017 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–5 | 62,202 | Shawcross 80' | Report |
| 17 | 12 December 2017 | Burnley | A | 0–1 | 19,909 | Report | |
| 18 | 16 December 2017 | West Ham United | H | 0–3 | 29,265 | Report | |
| 19 | 23 December 2017 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–1 | 29,057 | Allen 19',Choupo-Moting 45'+2,Ramadan 90'+5 | Report |
| 20 | 26 December 2017 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–1 | 24,047 | Ramadan 60' | Report |
| 21 | 30 December 2017 | Chelsea | A | 0–5 | 41,433 | Report | |
| 22 | 1 January 2018 | Newcastle United | H | 0–1 | 28,471 | Report | |
| 23 | 15 January 2018 | Manchester United | A | 0–3 | 74,726 | Report | |
| 24 | 20 January 2018 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–0 | 29,785 | Allen 53',Diouf 69' | Report |
| 25 | 31 January 2018 | Watford | H | 0–0 | 27,458 | Report | |
| 26 | 3 February 2018 | Bournemouth | A | 1–2 | 10,614 | Shaqiri 5' | Report |
| 27 | 10 February 2018 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–1 | 29,876 | Shaqiri 68' | Report |
| 28 | 24 February 2018 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 31,769 | Shaqiri 43' | Report |
| 29 | 3 March 2018 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | 30,335 | Report | |
| 30 | 12 March 2018 | Manchester City | H | 0–2 | 29,138 | Report | |
| 31 | 17 March 2018 | Everton | H | 1–2 | 30,022 | Choupo-Moting 77' | Report |
| 32 | 1 April 2018 | Arsenal | A | 0–3 | 59,371 | Report | |
| 33 | 7 April 2018 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–2 | 29,515 | Diouf 57' | Report |
| 34 | 16 April 2018 | West Ham United | A | 1–1 | 56,795 | Crouch 79' | Report |
| 35 | 22 April 2018 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 29,532 | Badou 11' | Report |
| 36 | 27 April 2018 | Liverpool | A | 0–0 | 53,255 | Report | |
| 37 | 5 May 2018 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–2 | 29,687 | Shaqiri 43' | Report |
| 38 | 13 May 2018 | Swansea City | A | 2–1 | 20,673 | Badou 31',Crouch 41' | Report |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Huddersfield Town | 38 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 28 | 58 | −30 | 37 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | 7 | 15 | 16 | 37 | 56 | −19 | 36 | |
| 18 | Swansea City(R) | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 28 | 56 | −28 | 33 | Relegation toEFL Championship |
| 19 | Stoke City(R) | 38 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 35 | 68 | −33 | 33 | |
| 20 | West Bromwich Albion(R) | 38 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 31 | 56 | −25 | 31 |
Stoke were drawn away atEFL League Two sideCoventry City in the third round. Stoke went into the tie with Mark Hughes under considerable pressure after an awful run of results. There was no end to that run as goals fromJordan Willis andJack Grimmer gave Coventry a 2–1 victory, leaving Hughes' position untenable.[81]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R3 | 6 January 2018 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 | 14,199 | Adam 54' (pen) | Report |
Stoke were drawn againstLeague One sideRochdale in the second round of theEFL Cup. Stoke ran out comfortable 4–0 winners with goals fromPeter Crouch,Ramadan Sobhi and a brace fromJoe Allen. ManagerMark Hughes gave debuts to three young players in the matchHarry Souttar,Josh Tymon andThibaud Verlinden.[82] Stoke playedChampionship sideBristol City in the third round where the team put in a woeful performance and the Robins easily won 2–0, with goals fromFamara Diedhiou andMatty Taylor.[83]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | 23 August 2017 | Rochdale | H | 4–0 | 9,930 | Allen (2) 16', 42',Crouch 29',Ramadan 80' | Report |
| R3 | 19 September 2017 | Bristol City | A | 0–2 | 13,826 | Report |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK |  Jack Butland | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF |  Moritz Bauer | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | DF |  Erik Pieters | 30(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | MF |  Joe Allen | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Kevin Wimmer | 14(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16(3) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | DF |  Kurt Zouma | 32(2) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35(2) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF |  Stephen Ireland | 1(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | Glen Johnson | 7(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8(2) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Saido Berahino | 3(12) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 4(13) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW |  Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting | 26(4) | 5 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27(5) | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | FW |  Jesé | 8(5) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(5) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Josh Tymon | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Ibrahim Afellay | 1(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Bruno Martins Indi | 14(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16(3) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | MF |  Charlie Adam | 5(6) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8(6) | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 17 | DF | Ryan Shawcross (c) | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | FW |  Mame Biram Diouf | 30(5) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 31(6) | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 20 | MF |  Geoff Cameron | 17(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18(3) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | DF |  Kostas Stafylidis | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF |  Xherdan Shaqiri | 36 | 8 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 36(2) | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Darren Fletcher | 25(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 26(3) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Peter Crouch | 14(17) | 5 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16(18) | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | DF |  Philipp Wollscheid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Badou Ndiaye | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Bojan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | FW |  Julien Ngoy | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | GK |  Jakob Haugaard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Thibaud Verlinden | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF |  Ramadan Sobhi | 12(12) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15(12) | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | Lee Grant | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | Harry Souttar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | FW | Tyrese Campbell | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | DF | Tom Edwards | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | Lasse Sørensen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | – | Own goals | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | – |
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2017 | MF | Darren Fletcher | West Bromwich Albion | Free | [84][9] |
| 1 July 2017 | GK | Josef Bursik | AFC Wimbledon | Undisclosed | [85] |
| 5 July 2017 | DF | Josh Tymon | Hull City | Compensation | [86][87] |
| 12 July 2017 | MF | Tre Pemberton | Blackburn Rovers | Undisclosed | [88] |
| 7 August 2017 | FW | Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting | FC Schalke 04 | Free | [89][90] |
| 11 August 2017 | DF | Bruno Martins Indi |  FC Porto | £7 million | [91] |
| 29 August 2017 | DF | Kevin Wimmer | Tottenham Hotspur | £18 million | [92] |
| 9 January 2018 | DF | Moritz Bauer |  Rubin Kazan | Undisclosed | [93] |
| 31 January 2018 | MF | Badou Ndiaye |  Galatasaray | £14 million | [65] |
| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2017 | GK | Daniel Bachmann | Watford | Free | [8][94][95] |
| 1 July 2017 | DF | Liam Edwards | Released | Free | [8][94] |
| 1 July 2017 | GK | Shay Given | Released | Free | [8][94] |
| 1 July 2017 | GK | Harry Isted | Luton Town | Free | [8][94][96][97] |
| 1 July 2017 | DF | Joel Taylor | Released | Free | [8][94] |
| 1 July 2017 | FW | George Waring | Tranmere Rovers | Free | [8][94][98] |
| 7 July 2017 | FW | Jonathan Walters | Burnley | £3million | [11][99] |
| 20 July 2017 | MF | Glenn Whelan | Aston Villa | £1.25million | [18][100] |
| 22 July 2017 | MF | Marko Arnautović | West Ham United | £20million | [101][102] |
| 25 July 2017 | DF | Phil Bardsley | Burnley | Undisclosed | [103][104] |
| 16 August 2017 | FW | Joselu | Newcastle United | £5million | [105] |
| 30 August 2017 | DF | Philipp Wollscheid | Metz | Free | [106] |
| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2017 | DF | Kurt Zouma | Chelsea | 30 June 2018 | [19] |
| 16 August 2017 | FW | Jesé | Paris Saint-Germain | 30 June 2018 | [107] |
| 18 January 2018 | DF | Kostas Stafylidis | FC Augsburg | 30 June 2018 | [108] |
| Date from | Pos. | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 August 2017 | DF | Ryan Sweeney | Bristol Rovers | 30 June 2018 | [109] |
| 4 August 2017 | FW | Dom Telford | Bristol Rovers | 30 June 2018 | [109] |
| 11 August 2017 | DF | Marc Muniesa | Girona | 30 June 2018 | [110] |
| 21 August 2017 | MF |  Moha El Ouriachi | Espanyol B | 30 June 2018 | [111] |
| 31 August 2017 | MF | Giannelli Imbula | Toulouse | 30 June 2018 | [112] |
| 31 August 2017 | MF | Bojan Krkić | Deportivo Alavés | 30 June 2018 | [113] |
