HULL: Stoke is slowly moving away from danger as Xherdan Shaqiri's brilliant brace secured back-to-back English Premier League wins for the Potters, whose 2-0 victory sent Hull into the bottom three on Saturday.

Shaqiri lit up an otherwise ordinary game with two superb strikes in either half as Mark Hughes' side followed up last week's first league win of the season against Sunderland with its first league success away.

Hull lost its fifth straight league match and its second since appointing Mike Phelan — Hughes' former Manchester United teammate — on a permanent basis.

The first 25 minutes were poor before, out of nowhere, Shaqiri scored with a stunning opening goal.

The Switzerland international was not closed down quickly enough on the edge of the penalty area and took full advantage to curl a brilliant left-footed shot away from Hull goalkeeper David Marshall and inside his near post.

Hull fell further behind five minutes after the restart following defender Curtis Davies' foul on Shaqiri two yards outside the area.

Shaqiri's free kick curled up and over the wall and inside Marshall's left-hand post.