Stoke City were able to edge themselves ever closer to Championship safety on Wednesday evening. The Potters were able to build on their 2-0 home win against Birmingham, with a 1-1 draw away at Bristol City. The draw has meant that the club have now broken into the 50 point mark, a points tally renowned in recent seasons to guarantee Championship football for the following season.
The run-in for Stoke seems very difficult, with the remaining fixtures being against the likes of Brentford and Nottingham Forest. It was important that they were able to get a positive result against Bristol City, as it would’ve been a tall order against two Premier League chasing teams.
On the other hand, when taking the Nottingham Forest game into consideration, it’s possible that the game could work into Stoke’s favour. Forest will look to have already a playoff spot wrapped up before the final match, meaning that ahead of their crunch playoff games, they could decide to rest key players against the Potters. A weakened starting XI would benefit Stoke City massively as Forests’ main attacking threats would be preserved.
After a very nervy and underwhelming campaign, Stoke will look to brush this season under the carpet. It’s been a complete and utter disaster from the word go, from the signings made in the summer to the results on the pitch. From promotion expectations to relegation nightmares.
There is a tremendous rebuilding job needed to be done at the club this summer, as Michael O’Neill prepares for his first full season in charge. After pulling off many heroics as a manager, fans at the club have the right to believe that they have finally found the perfect man. 2 more games remain, and the Potters have now put themselves in pole position to stay up.
