Stoke City v Huddersfield Town: Every match '˜a final' for new Potters boss Lambert as Terriers visit

New boss Paul Lambert regards the club's remaining Premier League fixtures this season as '15 cup finals'.
New Stoke City manager: Paul Lambert.New Stoke City manager: Paul Lambert.
New Stoke City manager: Paul Lambert.

The Potters head into today’s home game against Huddersfield, their first match with Lambert in charge, lying 18th, a point adrift of safety.

They have lost six of their previous eight league games, won five out of 23 all season and conceded 50 goals, more than any other club in the division.

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Lambert, appointed as successor to the sacked Mark Hughes on Monday, said: “It’s like 15 cup finals, and I think there’s a number of teams who will be saying the same.

“But the way the table is at the moment, one or two wins takes you up there.

“Everything that happened before I came in is, as far as I’m concerned, finished. We draw a line under it, move on and try to get back to winning ways.

“I’m pretty sure the atmosphere will be rocking on Saturday, but we have to give the fans something. There’s no point us turning up and being lame and letting the fans carry us.”

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Lambert arrived at Stoke having not managed in the Premier League since February, 2015, when he was sacked by Aston Villa with them 18th in the table.

Villa had ended up 15th in each of their two previous seasons under the Scot, whom they appointed in 2012 after he guided Norwich to back-to-back promotions and then a 12th-placed top-flight finish.

When Lambert was asked if he saw his current role as another big chance to prove himself in the Premier League, he said: “I don’t have to prove myself, I really don’t. This is not new to me – I was in it for nearly four years, which is longer than some.

“But it’s not about me. I’ll do everything I can, but the fans and the players are the most important people. If we can get them bouncing off each other we’ll have a better chance of winning.”