TP plays must-win card in relegation fight

Stoke reached the semi-finals of the cup for the first time in 39 years courtesy of last weekend's 2-1 win over West Ham and will face Bolton at Wembley next month.

With Manchester United or Manchester City waiting in the final, victory in the semi would almost certainly send Stoke into Europe, but for Pulis the priority remains ensuring they will play in the top flight for a fourth successive season.

The Potters currently sit 12th and have not often been mentioned as potential relegation candidates but their cushion over the bottom three is only three points.

Pulis said: "It's very, very important for the football club that we stay focused on the league and we've got a very, very tough game on Saturday against Newcastle. We've got to win it.

"They'll be up for it and what we've got to do is generate the same atmosphere we generated the other day against West Ham, both on the pitch and off the pitch. The support from both sides made the cup tie what it was, and that was a very, very exciting game."

Source: PA

Source: PA