Stoke City were sent down to the Championship after throwing away a half-time lead to lose 2-1 against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
The Potters edged in front through Xherdan Shaqiri's deflected free kick towards the end of a low-in-quality first half at the bet365 Stadium.
Palace hit back after the restart, however, levelling up thanks to James McArthur's strike and then snatching all three points through a late Patrick van Aanholt goal.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Stoke City and Crystal Palace at the bet365 Stadium. This is a huge down at the bottom of the English top flight, beginning with this showdown in Staffordshire as Stoke go in search of the three points required to draw level on points with Swansea City in 17th place.
Stoke boss Paul Lambert admits that this is quite simply a must-win game for his side; lose and Championship football will be contested at this ground next season. As far as Palace are concerned, they can mathematically make certain of survival today, but even if they were to lose each of their remaining games they would still likely avoid the drop. Before going any further, let us check out some confirmed team news...
STOKE CITY TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Butland; Johnson, Shawcross, Zouma, Pieters; Bauer, Allen, Ndiaye, Shaqiri; Crouch, Diouf
SUBS: Haugaard, Adam, Ireland, Cameron, Fletcher, Sobhi, Campbell
Starting with a look at the home team, Lambert has made just the one change from the goalless draw away to Liverpool last weekend - a positive result, even if three points was the target. Bruno Martins Indi, as feared, misses out today with a groin strain, so in comes Glen Johnson in a reshuffled backline. Kurt Zouma and Ryan Shawcross are used in the centre, while Erik Pieters is out on the left-hand side.
Jese Rodriguez is absent from the squad today, as he will be for the rest of the season having been granted more compassionate leave to see out his loan deal. Stoke's other absentees include Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Kostas Stafylidis, who miss out with a ground and rib injury respectively, but Lambert will be pleased that Johnson is available again to take over from Martins Indi.
Peter Crouch is handed another start up top and has proved to be a threat in recent weeks, netting his fourth league goal of the campaign in the 1-1 draw with West Ham United three games ago. Alongside the tall striker is Mame Biram Diouf, who will be tasked with bridging the gap between midfield and attack, and there is also a start for key man Xherdan Shaqiri on the right of a midfield four.
CRYSTAL PALACE TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Hennessey; Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt; Loftus-Cheek, Milivojevic, Cabaye, McArthur; Townsend, Zaha
SUBS: Cavalieri, Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Schlupp, Lee, Sorloth, Benteke
One change for Stoke, no changes for Palace - Roy Hodgson has stuck with the same side that saw off Leicester City 5-0 last weekend. It is actually the fourth match running that Palace have started with these XI players, and judging by their form across that period it is no surprise. Four-four-two is the order of the day, as Hodgson has also gone with that formation by utilising Wilfried Zaha in a central position.
Zaha has been very effective up top, and he is joined by Andros Townsend this afternoon as out-of-form striker Christian Benteke is only deemed worthy of a place among the subs. James McArthur and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are tasked with providing a threat from midfield, while Luka Milivojevic has also added goals to his game this term - 10 in all in the Premier League, as well as one assist.
Scott Dann and Bakary Sako remain absent for Palace, who are also without long-term absentees Connor Wickham and Jason Puncheon. Both players have made a return to first-team training, but they are unlikely to feature in the final week of the campaign. Hodgson has worked wonders at Selhurst Park this term, and his achievement is all the more special when considering the amount of injuries he has had to deal with.
Stoke City make one change from last weekend's goalless draw with Liverpool, bringing in Glen Johnson for the injured Bruno Martins India. Crystal Palace stick with the same XI that have started the last three matches, meanwhile, meaning a start up top for converted winger Wilfried Zaha, who is the Eagles' biggest attacking threat.
Stoke sit 19th in the Premier League table heading into Saturday's fixtures, three points from safety after playing one game more than Swansea City in 17th. There have been a number of 'must-win matches' for the Potters of late, none of which they have actually managed to win, yet they still somehow remain in with a chance of avoiding the drop. For that to be achievable, three points are required today.
Despite three points being targeted at Anfield last weekend, a goalless draw has to be considered a good result for Stoke against Champions League finalists Liverpool. Talking in the build-up to today's game, though, City boss Lambert admitted that it is "quite clear" a similar scoreline will not suffice today - it is three points or nothing. The Potters also need other results to go their way, namely a defeat for Swansea City away at Bournemouth.
Stoke have drawn each of their last three games and are winless in 12 since beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 on January 20 - Lambert's only win since taking charge. There have been a few positives during that winless run, including the point accrued at Anfield seven days ago, but Lambert will ultimately have failed in his mission if the Potters drop down to the Championship - he had enough time to turn things around.
A little harsh, granted, particularly as predecessor Tony Pulis left behind a side that made losing a habit, but Stoke have had plenty of winnable games over the past two months and have not stepped up to the plate. Even if Stoke do drop down to the Championship, though, Lambert appears likely to stay on and he will be tasked with guiding the Staffordshire outfit back up at the first time of asking.
With Swansea City and Southampton due to face off in midweek, and Stoke also having a trip to South Wales to look forward to on the final day, Lambert knows that his side's predicament could look a whole lot better with three points today. The worst case scenario would be dropping yet more points on home soil today and then falling to the foot of the division if West Bromwich Albion beat Tottenham Hotspur.
Huddersfield Town are the other side at risk of relegation due to their tough run of fixtures, which will surely see them fail to add another point to their tally. Incredibly, 35 points could well be enough to keep Stoke in the division, which they can only achieve with two wins from their final two matches. The Potters' struggles can be put down to their lack of goals, having scored just seven times during this 12-game winless run.
Only three teams have scored fewer goals than Stoke's 32 this campaign, with Xherdan Shaqiri leading the way on seven strikes. Their run of 12 matches without a win is the longest in England's top-four divisions and Stoke's worst streak in the top flight since 1984. Whatever way you look at it, this has been a dreadful campaign for the Potters and they can hardly argue that they deserve to beat the drop.
DID YOU KNOW? Just 20 points have been accrued at the bet365 Stadium this term and Stoke City are now guaranteed their lowest-ever home total - their previous worst being 27 points. Another bad omen for the Potters - Paul Lambert has won only one of his six matches as a manager against Crystal Palace, drawing two and losing three of those.
Paul Lambert gave Stoke City a huge lift when arriving at the club thanks to a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town here soon after taking over. The Potters have not won since then, however, putting together a 12-match winless streak that will surely lead to them going down to the second tier. Their fate could even be secured today if results go against them.
Palace are no longer at threat of relegation as they sit in 12th place, six points above the dropzone. To put that into perspective, the Eagles are the same number of points adrift of ninth-placed Leicester City with two matches left to play - quite some turnaround for the Londoners, and manager Hodgson deserves huge praise for what he has achieved. The veteran boss will now want to make mathematically sure of safety.
Hodgson targeted one win from his side's final three matches, achieving that target at the first attempt with three points against Leicester City last weekend. Not only did the Eagles pick up the win that lifted them further clear of the relegation zone, they earned their record victory in the Premier League to put the cherry on what has been a fantastic 2018 so far.
That home win over Leicester followed on from draws away to Bournemouth and Watford, as well as a 3-2 triumph over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, who are now mathematically safe from the drop following Friday night's shock home win against Manchester United. On the subject of Palace's form, 11 points from the last 18 on offer is bettered only by Newcastle United outside of the division's top six.
The pressure is therefore off in the final week of the season, with today's trip to Stoke followed up by a home match against basement boys West Bromwich Albion in a little over a week's time. Palace have been good travellers of late, going three matches without defeat away from Selhurst Park and even pushing Chelsea all the way prior to that mini unbeaten run. Overall, 15 away points is bettered by eight other teams.
Palace have scored 10 goals during their ongoing four-match unbeaten run, albeit with half of those coming against Leicester last weekend, and they have a respectable 41 goals after 36 matches having gone two months before getting off the mark. It is easy to forget just how abysmal the Eagles were in those opening weeks of the campaign, with no wins and no goals after seven matches.
Hodgson therefore deserves every last ounce of praise aimed his way, and he is certainly a candidate for the Manager of the Year award alongside Pep Guardiola and Sean Dyche. Palace were down and out after the first couple of months but, after a small period to get accustomed to his new club, Hodgson has turned things around and the Eagles are now within a point of confirming their safety.
No team has scored more Premier League goals in the 90th minute or later than Crystal Palace's six this season, including in the reverse fixture when battling right until the very end. Key to the Eagles' upturn in fortunes has been Zaha, who has been directly involved in five goals in his side's last four outings, scoring four of his own and setting up another. No wonder that Tottenham are reportedly interested in the attacker.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Stoke City have lost six of their last seven meetings with Crystal Palace in all competitions, winning the other. The Eagles have won six of the last nine when going further back, including a 2-1 triumph at Selhurst Park in November thanks to a late Mamadou Sakho goal - their best return against a single team in the Premier League.
With kickoff at the bet365 Stadium now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Paul Lambert: "It's all or nothing. It's a massive game for everybody connected with the football club, and we have to win, no matter what. There's no focus on anything else other than trying to win the game."
Roy Hodgson: "We would be foolish if we were not prepared for a Stoke team giving every ounce of energy they can give, and they will be backed by a loud crowd. All we can do is make certain we play our football and keep our heads, and don't get sucked into the type of football they need to play."
Lambert has described this game as "all or nothing", acknowledging that anything less than victory and his side are down. Due to Swansea and Southampton facing off in midweek, the Potters' fate will be confirmed with another home defeat today, but they will be hoping that Palace's players are on the beach following last weekend's 5-0 triumph against Leicester. This is, quite simply, a huge afternoon for the home side.
KICKOFF! Crystal Palace get us up and running at the bet365 Stadium for Saturday's lunchtime kickoff. Stoke City, without back-to-back wins all season, require victory from this game and then their trip to Swansea City on the final day.
For the third match running Crouch is partnering Diouf up top so there should be a good little partnership developing there. The Potters unable to get the ball into an advanced position thus far, with three minutes on the clock.
Neither side yet to find their rhythm in the early stages here. The onus is on Stoke to score first, meaning that the game could become a little stretched the longer it remains goalless. This is the type of match that Zaha tends to shine in.
Townsend attempts to carry the ball forward but is wiped out by Ndiaye, who is perhaps lucky to avoid being cautioned. That came as a result of Joe Allen losing possession high up the field after pressing forward - Stoke are not holding back.
SHOT! I fear for Stoke at the moment because Palace are having so much joy when breaking forward. Ruben Loftus-Cheek makes the most of Glen Johnson being caught out of position by cutting inside and curling over the crossbar.
That was a decent effort from Loftus-Cheek, whose shot was just inches over the crossbar. Zaha, Townsend, Van Aanholt and Loftus-Cheek looking a real threat for the visitors early on, being given plenty of room to break into.
Allen presses high up the pitch to put Sakho under pressure, but the Palace defender did well to play his way out from the back. Cannot really fault the Potters' pressing and attacking nature - they need to score at some point this afternoon.
Palace have enjoyed 61% of possession in the opening 15 minutes of the contest. It is the Eagles who have got in the only serious shot so far, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek curling the ball over the frame of Jack Butland's goal.
SHOT! Palace work the ball from left to right, culminating in Wilfried Zaha hitting a shot across goal. That was a decent opening for the Ivory Coast international, who probably should have been testing Jack Butland from 12 yards.
Not quite happening for Stoke so far, which has very much been the story of their season. Home boss Lambert will not be panicking just yet, but that will certainly change should Palace find a breakthrough goal at some point.
Stoke have yet to get away a shot of any note with nearly a quarter of the match played. The quality of the final ball has been very bad as far as the hosts are concerned - an improvement is needed if they are to pick up the win they require.
Milivojevic hits the ball straight out of play under pressure, giving home fans something to cheer. Lambert is urging his side on down on the touchline - the intensity levels have dropped somewhat in what has so far been a quiet contest.
CHANCE! Best chance of the match so far, as Xherdan Shaqiri charged down the right and sent a decent delivery into the centre. Mame Biram Diouf was well positioned to meet the cross but could only glance it wide from nine yards.
A short stoppage in play so that Joel Ward can receive some treatment close to the touchline. Once play resumes, Stoke need to start building up some momentum - it has been far too stop-start in the opening half an hour of the game.
Just one real chance so far this afternoon, which Stoke attacker Mame Biram Diouf failed to make the most of as he glanced wide from Xherdan Shaqiri's cross a little earlier. Stoke full-back Erik Pieters the latest player to go to ground.
"Fragmented" is the best word to describe the last five minutes of this match. Ward and Pieters have both required treatment, meaning that neither side has been able to find any sort of momentum. Fourteen minutes of the first half to play.
Patrick van Aanholt smashes the ball goalwards but it is blocked before it can reach the target. Andros Townsend then sent in a low cross than Yohan Cabaye did well to stoop down and flick goalwards with his head, the ball ending on the roof of the net.
Wilfried Zaha shakes off Ryan Shawcross and slips the ball through for Andros Townsend. The Palace attacker met his match in Kurt Zouma, though, who blocked the intended cutback to save his central-defensive teammate.
This is a result that will suit 12th-placed Palace far more than their opponents. The Eagles are not exactly sitting back for a point, though, with Yohan Cabaye getting another shot away which this times sailed over the crossbar.
Home fans will no doubt feel a lot more nervous in the second half if the scoreline remains this way. Not the best of atmospheres inside the bet365 Stadium, it must be said, with supporters perhaps already resigned to their fate.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! Joel Ward has been unable to shake off that earlier knock and is replaced by Martin Kelly. Hodgson not tempted to wait until the interval, instead making the change with four minutes of the half to play.
Two minutes of the first half left to play and it is fair to say that Stoke, in need of a win today, have not exactly looked like scoring so far. That can all change in the space of a few second, of course, and it is the Potters who are currently pressing.
GOAL! STOKE CITY 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE (XHERDAN SHAQIRI)
Stoke's top goalscorer Xherdan Shaqiri has given them a huge lift with a curler into the top corner to open the scoring here. The Switzerland international stepped over the free kick and managed to send it past Wayne Hennessey, with a telling touch on its way through.
Four minutes have been added on here so still time for Palace to find a response. That is a truly massive goal for Stoke, lifting them level on points with Swansea City, who they still have to face on the final day of the season.
HALF TIME: STOKE CITY 1-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
The first half finally comes to an end, with Stoke City a goal to the good thanks to Xherdan Shaqiri's perfectly-executed free kick 43 minutes in. Prior to that breakthrough moment the Potters had offered little to suggest that they had a goal in them.
Palace had plenty of space to run into during large parts of the first half due to Stoke's urgency to find a goal, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek nearly punished the hosts early on when cutting inside and curling a shot over the bar. If that was not a big enough warning then Wilfried Zaha's dragged shot across goal certainly was, with the Eagles looking the more likely to score.
Stoke slowly started to grow into a stop-start first half, however, coming close through Mame Biram Diouf's glanced header prior to Xherdan Shaqiri's goal just before the interval. The Potters' leading scorer took on a free kick from 25 yards out, curling it out of Wayne Hennessey's reach with the aid of a deflection.
BENCH WATCH!
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Adam, Ireland, Cameron, Fletcher, Sobhi, Campbell
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Cavalieri, Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Schlupp, Lee, Sorloth, Benteke
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RESTART! Stoke City, protecting a one-goal lead from the first half, get us back under way at the bet365 Stadium. The Potters now simply need to hold on to their slim advantage, which has not exactly been one of their strengths.
No changes made at the interval, though Palace were forced into that change shortly before Stoke scored - Kelly on for Ward at full-back. Home fans are urging their players on now - they do not want to see their team sit back on this slender lead.
Brilliant play from Pieters to get across to clear the ball before Loftus-Cheek could get a shot away just inside the box. Stoke rather falling into the trap of sitting a little too deep now, inviting Palace onto them.
Much like in the first half, the second half is taking a bit of time to get going in the Potteries. No intensity from other side, but unlike in the opening 45 minutes the onus is now on visiting side Palace to find a goal.
YELLOW CARD! Van Aanholt gets away from Shaqiri far too easily but is unable to pick out a teammate in the middle. Luka Milivojevic is then cautioned for a deliberate handball to stop a Stoke attack from developing.
Palace not looking too threatening at the moment, but it is they who do look the more likely to net the game's second goal. It has been far from a classic but the home side will not care a single bit if they can see out the next 35 minutes.
Good movement from Townsend as Palace once again get in behind, but Zaha's pass was released a tad too late and the offside flag went up. Lambert surely cannot be happy with his side sitting this deep, especially with half an hour left to play.
Some movement on the Stoke bench - not at all surprising because Palace are dominating this match and are looking more threatening now. A free kick is sent towards the back post but goes straight out of play without a touch.
Van Aanholt thought about the shot but instead attempted to pick out a teammate, which was the wrong choice. Stoke counter and Crouch is sent to the floor inside the box, but he was rather looking for the penalty on that occasion.
YELLOW CARD! Moritz Bauer is the second player to be cautioned after fouling Wilfried Zaha, who did well to knock the ball past his man. Christian Benteke has been brought on for Yohan Cabaye with Palace in need of a goal.
YELLOW CARDS! The card count is starting to rise as James Tomkins and Glen Johnson have both been cautioned following an altercation inside the box. The referee did well to step back and get a clear view of the incident.
STOKE CITY SUB! Constant pressure from the Eagles now as they look to level things up. Stoke need to put an attack of their own together to relieve some of the pressure on their defenders. Ramadan Sobhi is on for Peter Crouch.
GOAL! STOKE CITY 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE (JAMES MCARTHUR)
Well Stoke can't say that they weren't warned! Palace hit their opponents on the counter, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek doing well to slot the ball through for James McArthur to tuck it past Jack Butland, who perhaps could have done a bit better.
Not quite sure what Lambert told his players at the interval but it certainly did not work. Stoke were far too defensive in the lead up to that McArthur strike and now they have less than 20 minutes to regain their advantage.
Benteke, brought on in place of Cabaye, offers a different type of threat up top. A cross from the left was heading towards the big Belgian, who went to ground but was looking for the penalty. A reminder that defeat for Stoke will confirm their relegation.
Shaqiri loses his balance and cannot quite get the shot away following a Milivojevic error, but it would not have counted even if he did find the net as the offside flag was up. Looks as though Lambert is about to make his second change of the match.
STOKE CITY SUB! Confirmation of that second Stoke change - youngster Tyrese Campbell is on for a tired Glen Johnson for the remaining 12 minutes or so. Still plenty of time for the Potters to find a winning goal here.
CHANCE! Glorious chance for Wilfried Zaha to kill Stoke off, only to send the ball high over the crossbar when picked out in acres of space on the penalty spot. Christian Benteke's first-time shot then trickled wide of the target.
Palace really thriving with the space they are being afforded on the counter. Zaha squandered that huge chance a couple of minutes ago but, on the basis of the second half up until this point, they should get another opening before the match is over.
YELLOW CARD! Badou Ndiaye is cautioned and then takes out a Palace player moments later, which should have resulted in his dismissal. Stoke can consider themselves fortunate that they still have all 11 players on the field.
SHOT! Place really knocking on the door now for a second goal. Zaha picks out Loftus-Cheek, who smashes the ball over the target from close range when he had Zaha well positioned alongside him. Stoke need to get a grip on the match.
GOAL! STOKE CITY 1-2 CRYSTAL PALACE (PATRICK VAN AANHOLT)
Stoke's 10-year stay in the Premier League is surely over! A howler of a goal to concede, as Ryan Shawcross's attempted interception turns into a perfect assist for Patrick van Aanholt, who slotted it past Jack Butland when one-on-one.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! Andros Townsend makes way for Jeffrey Schlupp for the closing stages. A booking for Xherdan Shaqiri moments later, with the Swiss playmaker raking his foot down the back of Loftus-Cheek's leg.
We are into the second of five added-on minutes at the bet365 Stadium. Goals have been a real problem for Stoke all season - they now require two of them in the space of three minutes to stand any hope of staying in the division.
FULL TIME: STOKE CITY 1-2 CRYSTAL PALACE
STOKE CITY ARE RELEGATED TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Jack Butland is in tears on the field and so to are many of the supporters in the stands - Stoke City's 10-year stay in the Premier League is over. The Potters' gameplan in the second half was atrocious, sitting back from the off and allowing Crystal Palace onto them, so they only have themselves to blame for this 19th loss of the campaign.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Potteries. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from both camps will be available elsewhere on the site in due course. Thanks for joining!
