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Premier League winners and losers: Win the Manchester derby, win the league

By Ty Finch

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 10: Nicolas Otamendi of Manchester City scores the 2nd Manchester City goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on December 10, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 10: Nicolas Otamendi of Manchester City scores the 2nd Manchester City goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on December 10, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
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Harry Kane of Tottenham gets a head past Stoke Citys Jack Butland during Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur against Stoke City at Wembley stadium, London England on 09 Dec 2017 (Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Harry Kane of Tottenham gets a head past Stoke Citys Jack Butland during Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur against Stoke City at Wembley stadium, London England on 09 Dec 2017 (Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

Loser: Stoke

If Stoke were to petition the Premier League to take Tottenham off their schedule and replace them with any other team, you couldn’t blame them. In the last four matches against Spurs, Stoke have lost by a combined score of 17-1. The three matches before this most recent contests were all 4-0 thrashings. The beating continued on Saturday by the tune of 5-1, so at least they scored this time.

Ryan Shawcross beat two different keepers on the day, but unfortunately for him, one of those was Jack Butland. Stoke were playing relatively well for most of the game until Heung-min Son got on the score sheet to put Tottenham up by two. Spurs piled on the goals afterwards. Harry Kane scored his 11th and 12th goals of the year and Christian Eriksen added the fifth before Shawcross put the Potters on the board.

Stoke are playing dangerously with relegation entering the winter period. They sit in 15th place in the table, but just three points ahead of the bottom 18th-place West Ham, who picked up a shocking 1-0 win over Chelsea on the day. This is Stoke’s worst start to a Premier League season, only picking up 16 points in their first 16 matches.

Mark Hughes has to shore up his defense as soon as possible. The Potters have given up 35 goals so far; which is bottom of the league by three. That simply can’t continue if Stoke want to stay in the Premier League for the 11th consecutive year.

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