Quality proved to be the difference

STOKE City's Championship fate remains in the balance after losing to Sheffield United in their final home game of the season. Here are the talking points from the bet365 Stadium on Friday...

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QUALITY SHOWS

This was the final home game; the first game after a horror show; and a game when Stoke could secure safety with a win. It was a time for urgency and aggression although Mark Robins was adamant that it was quality that was lacking rather than work rate. Stoke have been decent at home by and large in recent weeks but this was the strongest opposition they have faced in that time even if Sheffield United made a load of changes and it showed. There were a couple of decent chances Bae Junho in the first half when he dashed onto a pass from Million Manhoef, Ali Al-Hamadi in the second when he was put into a one-on-one by Bosun Lawal - but they just weren't good enough to take them.

Still, if they weren’t the same class as Sheff Utd, players could still track back as if the result could dictate the club staying in the division. That didn’t happen in the build-up to either goal.

A HORRIBLE WEEK

These were always two daunting fixtures and fans looked like they'd taken two big punches in the stomach as they stumbled out at full-time, dazed by events.

Robins looked furious on Monday at Leeds but he was backing his players after this one.