STOKE, England (AP) - Stoke’s grip on its Premier League status loosened significantly with a 1-1 home draw against Burnley on Sunday.
Stoke manager Paul Lambert had targeted three wins from his team’s last four games to ensure its 10-year stay in the top flight continued but, with a trip to Liverpool to come next weekend followed by matches against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace and Swansea, that now appears hugely unlikely.
There was again no shortage of effort from the hosts, who have not won since Lambert’s first game in January, and they deserved the lead given to them by Badou Ndiaye’s first goal for the club in the 11th minute.
But Ashley Barnes scored a scrappy equalizer 17 minutes after halftime and Stoke had to settle for a draw that leaves it four points adrift of safety with three games left.
Seventh-place Burnley is four points behind Arsenal and has three games left.
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