Stoke City: Premier League club have 'massive' seven games ahead - Mike Pejic

Joe Allen (right) has scored in Stoke's last two Premier League games to help clinch valuable points

Stoke City's next seven games are "massive" in the context of their Premier League ambitions, according to former full-back Mike Pejic.

The Potters, without a win after seven matches, are 19th in the table, but stopped a run of four straight defeats with successive draws.

"Only having three points and not winning at home doesn't make good reading," Pejic told BBC Radio Stoke.

"They have to have a springboard and need that first win under their belts."

A home draw with West Brom and another at Manchester United were the first points won by Mark Hughes' side since the opening day of the season.

They now face a vital run of fixtures including matches against three of the current bottom four, starting with Saturday's home game against bottom club Sunderland.

"If you don't get points in this next seven games, you've got Arsenal, Leicester, Liverpool and Chelsea to follow, so it's massive," said Pejic, 66.

"It's a big ask (to stay up) really if they don't get points in these next initial games."

Stoke's next seven matches

• 15 October - Sunderland (H)

• 22 October - Hull (A)

• 31 October - Swansea (H)

• 5 November - West Ham (A)

• 19 November - Bournemouth (H)

• 27 November - Watford (A)

• 3 December - Burnley (H)

Mike Pejic played nearly 300 times for Stoke in his career and also won four England caps