Rory Delap: If Stoke City players ease up in the remaining Premier League games, they will not play in FA Cup final

Rory Delap delivers another long throw as Stoke stun Arsenal (PA)

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Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap is adamant his side knows better than to lose focus on their Premier League campaign ahead the FA Cup final in May.

Tony Pulis’ side have reached the final at Wembley against Manchester City after defeating Bolton 5-0 but could only claim a point in a1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday.

Stoke will host Wolves on Tuesday in a bid to overtake Newcastle and climb to ninth place in the table, and the former Derby County man believes the following weeks will be decisive for those who want to feature in an historic day for the club.

He told Sky Sports: “I don’t think that easing up will happen with the players and staff we’ve got behind us here,

“If it does, they won’t be playing.

“If you ease up and think about things, start thinking about the final, you are not going to be playing in the final.

“The manager has shown in the past that anyone who messes about and doesn’t put the work in will be out of the team and out of the club.

“You should be professional enough no matter what situation you are in, cup final, no cup final, bottom, middle, top of the league. You still want to win games.

“The manager has drilled that into us since he’s been at the club. That’s why we’ve had the success we’ve had.

“If we ease up at all, we will go and get battered every week.”