Paul Lambert wants Stoke to take the game to Everton

Paul Lambert has challenged his Stoke team to take the game to Everton on Saturday and lift themselves out of the relegation zone.

The Potters have been in the Premier League’s bottom three since early February but have not been cut adrift despite a run of six games without a win.

And with four draws in that sequence, manager Lambert has actually been pleased with performances and is convinced victories are just around the corner.

The Scot said: “If we win on Saturday and get out of the bottom three, psychologically that would be a great thing for us.

“We have been in the bottom three for a number of weeks and we’ve handled it, but we’re only six points off 12th. There is nothing in it.

“It is well within our capabilities and some of the run-ins some teams have got are extremely difficult. I am thankful it is in our hands and we don’t have to rely on other teams.

“The fans have been absolutely brilliant, home and away, and we’ll need them on Saturday – but it’s up to us to give them something as well.

“We have to entertain, it’s our home game. We have to go on the front foot. There is no time for fatigue. You have to be ready for it.”

Stoke were outplayed as they came up against the runaway leaders Manchester City at the bet365 Stadium on Monday but Lambert was pleased with his players’ attitude.

“We came up against an extraordinary team, a team from another league,” said Lambert, whose side are at home again to the Toffees this weekend. “They have fabulous footballers, their speed is incredibly high.

“But we never wilted, we stayed in the game for as long as we could. We were never disgraced.”

Lambert feels his team need to start making more of their attacking abilities.

He said: “We have got to be better in the final third. Going forward we get into good positions but that final pass has not been there.

“It is that risk-taking in the final third – you have got to take the risks and be constructive. We have got the players to do it, we just need to pull the trigger a bit earlier.

“This is going to be a really difficult game, totally different from the one on Monday night.

“But even for the Manchester City game, I went in thinking we could win. This one will be the same.”