TONY Pulis has told his struggling players to brace themselves for a five-match season and an eight-team battle for Premier League survival.
Stoke lie just two places and three points above the drop zone after yesterday's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United made it a paltry five points from the last 42 on offer.
But Pulis insists his players are still good for the six points he wants to reach the 40 he believes will guarantee top-flight football at the Britannia Stadium for a sixth season.
"It's now a case of making sure we finish top of that eight clubs (including Reading and QPR) fighting for it," said Pulis, pictured below.
"We have got good players and we need a break. What's gone has gone. We now have to look forward to the next game and then the one after that."
Stoke were beaten by an early Michael Carrick effort after failing to defend a corner, while striker Robin van Persie buried a 66th-minute penalty after being tripped by Andy Wilkinson.
"I don't think we've been absolutely out-played or taken to the cleaners, it's just two poor goals we've conceded," said Pulis.
"I didn't think there was many chances and a lot of play was in the middle of the park. Asmir (Begovic) has been busier than that.
"Jon Walters' chance from Ryan Shotton's nod down in the second half is a good chance and on another day he might score.
"And it's such an important game for United that we thought they would get nervous the closer it got to the end of the game. So that second goal was another killer for us.
Meanwhile, Pulis angrily dismissed a pre-match newspaper report that he was heading for the sack if Stoke lost heavily to United by noting: "Is that the same person who wrote that the manager of Leicester was going to leave six months ago?"
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