Soccer: Improved Stoke displays can boost survival bid, says Zouma

The Potters are second from bottom on 27 points, one adrift of safety, and in danger of dropping down to the Championship for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign unless they can pick up some vital wins in the final eight games.

Monday's 2-0 defeat by champions-elect Manchester City was Stoke's second loss in seven league matches and on-loan Chelsea player Zouma said that the club have to build on those previous performances to finish the season strongly.

"We haven't won too many games of late but we're playing a lot better than before, are tighter at the back and conceding a lot less goals," Frenchman Zouma told the club's website (www.stokecityfc.com).

"We are still only one point away from moving out of the relegation zone and we know we have some very big games still to come," he added.

Stoke host ninth-placed Everton in the league on Saturday. They also take on top-six sides Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool later in the season.