Arnautovic eager to end Stoke season on a high

Stoke City forward Marko Arnautovic says he wants to play in the club’s final two Premier League games of the season.

Arnautovic has a big month ahead in June with Austria at Euro 2016 but he says he has no desire to rest up before the tournament begins.

Instead, he wants to help Stoke finish a good season on a high note and increase his own goals tally in what has already been a highly productive campaign.

Arnautovic scored last weekend against Sunderland, a game he says he did everything he could to be fit for. Euro 2016 may be just around the corner, but the 28-year-old has no will to take things easy.

“Two days before the Sunderland game I was still not ok but on Friday I was feeling a little better and I thought if I could play then why not? I want to help the team and I want to win games.

“I have not been 100 per cent and everyone knows that but still I try everything. I will do everything I can for the team to make chances and score goals.”

Arnautovic is enjoying his most prolific scoring season since 2009/10 and, while he says he doesn’t set himself targets, his running tally of 12 is something that he is happy with.

“I didn’t have a goals target, I never have a target, I just wanted play well and stay healthy through the season. Twelve so far is good? I think so,” he added.

Arnautovic was ever-present during Austria’s ten-game unbeaten qualifying run that booked their Euro 2016 place, scoring three goals along the way.

They are 2.75 top win Group F in France, where they face Portugal, Iceland and Hungary.