Stoke City chairman Peter Coates says they deserve their eighth place.

Coates believes their league place is a fair reflection of this season's efforts.

"You have to say that at this stage of the season the league table isn't lying," he argued to The Sentinel.

"We've still got 10 games to go, but we are in a very good position and no-one can say we do not deserve to be there.

"We seem to have gone under the radar nationally, but we are relaxed about that.

"It was a great effort against Everton, a real team effort in which everybody played their part."