13/05/2018 14:00 v Stoke

13th May
First team

Swansea City's seven-year Premier League adventure came to an end after a 2-1 defeat to Stoke City.

The Swans needed a miracle on the final day to retain their top-flight status - only victory against the already-relegated Potters and a Southampton defeat, along with a ten-goal swing, would have saved Carlos Carvalhal's side from the drop.

But this result meant there would be no miracle, and no Premier League football at the Liberty next season.

Angel Rangel and Leon Britton will also be gone come August, with the two Swans legends featuring for the club for the last time against Stoke.

Rangel departs the club after 11 years' service, with the Spaniard captaining the Swans in his final game before his contract expires.

Britton, who came on as a second-half substitute, made his 537rd and final appearance for the club having announced his retirement after an incredible 16-year career in South West Wales.

The Swans had started brightly, with loanee Andy King slotting home in the 14th minute shortly after a massive goalmouth scramble.

Wayne Routledge could and should have doubled the lead minutes later but curled his effort wide.

Despite the decent start, the Swans were pegged back just after the half-hour mark as Stoke countered and Xherdan Shaqiri's sublime pass sent Badou Ndiaye in on goal and he perfectly chipped Lukasz Fabianski.

And a further blow followed in the 41st minute as Lasse Sorenson's free-kick met the head of Peter Crouch, and he nodded home.

After the break, the Potters had a huge opportunity to increase their lead as Martin Olsson handled when Crouch controlled a ball into the box.

Up stepped Shaqiri, but he was denied low down by Fabianski.

The Swans kept plugging away and saw a number of chances go amiss.

Andre Ayew saw his header saved by Jack Butland before the Ghanaian had a later effort blocked.

It turned into a common theme, with the Stoke defence throwing their bodies at everything with sub Sam Clucas twice denied.

Another sub, Tammy Abraham, then just failed to connect with Tom Carroll's mishit shot, which led to Butland scrambling back to stop the ball from crossing the line.

There was a late surge to at least salvage something from the game, but it came to nothing.

The Swans' Premier League stay is over, with the club now faced with playing Championship football next term.

Swans: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel (capt), Mike van der Hoorn, Alfie Mawson, Martin Olsson, Nathan Dyer (Sam Clucas, 68), Andy King (Leon Britton, 57), Tom Carroll, Wayne Routledge (Tammy Abraham, 57), Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew.

Subs: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez, Luciano Narsingh.

Stoke City: Jack Butland, Moritz Bauer, Kurt Zouma, Ryan Shawcross (capt), Erik Pieters, Lasse Sorenson (Stephen Ireland, 76), Badou Ndiaye, Joe Allen (Darren Fletcher, 8), Xherdan Shaqiri, Mame Biram Diouf, Peter Crouch.

Subs: Jakob Haugaard, Glen Johnson, Charlie Adam, Geoff Cameron, Tyrese Campbell.