Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Tony Pulis is facing a huge battle to keep his job as Stoke City boss.

Pulis has been stung by criticism from Stoke fans after poor results left them hovering dangerously above the relegation battle.

The Stoke manager, 55, fears he could be facing the same fate as Brian McDermott, who lost his job at Reading.

Pulis is worried that even a strong finish to the season may not be enough to secure his long-term future at the Britannia with the supporters having doubts which are a major concern to the club's hierarchy.

Stoke have backed him publicly but Pulis was left frustrated in January as he wanted to shake-up his squad but could not do the business he felt was needed to push the club forward.

He was prepared to let Peter Crouch go to bring in Darren Bent while he also wanted Blackpool's Tom Ince but could not pull off either deal.

(Image: Michael Regan)

Recent deals have not all been successful and Stoke's move for Charlie Adam last summer has not worked out and they may be prepared to cut their losses on the ex-Liverpool midfielder.

Pulis's recent record, transfers and the fans turning - the biggest complaint being the style of play - has left him in danger. There has even been a "Pulis Out" banner and the country's fourth longest serving manager is under genuine threat.

The manager has received backing publicly from Stoke chairman Peter Coates and it is understood the pair still have a good working relationship and there have been meetings to try and resolve the bad run.

But it still seems unthinkable to most of the country that Pulis - who has established Stoke in the Premier League - could be under threat when the club were relegation favourites when he first took them up.