The talented winger had given an impressive performance in Athens against Carlo Ancelotti's side, setting up Dirk Kuyt's late consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat. Pennant then spoke of the need for himself and the club to move on and clinch the league title the following season. However Liverpool again failed to deliver and for the player it was a fairly miserable time as well. He made only 25 appearances in the 2007-08 campaign compared to 52 the previous year after being struck down with injuries including a fractured tibia and a hamstring problem. It proved to be the beginning of the end at Anfield for Pennant, who then fell out with manager Rafael Benitez. Pennant joined Real Zaragoza last season following a spell on loan at Portsmouth but he did not take to Spanish life either. Enter Stoke manager Tony Pulis whose stewardship has resulted in a remarkable turnaround in the player's fortunes and one that could end in the 28-year-old earning an FA Cup winners' medal. Pennant, who signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at the turn of the year after arriving on loan, has not only thrilled the fans with his old-fashioned wing play but also embraced the club's strict work ethic. If his display in the Champions League final was a strong one so too was his performance in the 5-0 rout of Bolton in the semi-final. Pulis will be looking for more of the same when they face Manchester City at Wembley on May 14. "If you look at Pennant, you see how hard he works," said the Stoke boss. "He has grasped and understood that this is a club where everyone works hard. "Whoever you are we expect them to put a shift in. He has the bit between his teeth and it is fantastic to see that from a player who people told me was quite lazy." Pennant was signed at the age of 15 by Arsenal from Notts County for £2million, a record fee for a trainee at the time. But his attitude won him few friends. He found it hard to settle down and moved from club to club, sometimes on loan. Then in 2005 he was sentenced to three months in prison after he was found guilty of drink-driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance. Pennant insists those days are behind him and that he already feels at home at the Britannia Stadium, where Pulis is a noted hard task-master. The Welshman's methods work. Not only are Stoke in the final for the first time, they also look comfortable among England's elite clubs. Pennant said: "I think I've found a level of stability here. The manager likes his wingers but he also likes them working hard. "Me and Matty Etherington cover the most distance out of everyone at the club. "I know I have only been here a few months, but it really does feel like I have been here for years. The atmosphere around the place is brilliant. "I am looking forward to the fact that I am here at Stoke now for the long term and back in the best league in the world."
