Former Premier League star Kevin Kilbane has indicated Stoke City have not improved since parting ways with Tony Pulis.
The 59-year-old saw his second stint as Stoke boss come to an end in 2013, but he was not out of management for long after taking the reins at Crystal Palace.
Pulis, a Premier League survival expert, is now a free agent, having most recently been employed by West Brom.
Stoke are on the slide under current manager Mark Hughes, who replaced Pulis, and on Saturday afternoon were crushed 5-1 at Tottenham Hotspur to sit just three points above the drop zone.
Kilbane believes that under Pulis, while Stoke did not play better football, they had solid performances and results.
relatedNewsStory
"You think about three or four years ago when Stoke let Tony Pulis go, wanting to kick on", Kilbane said on the BBC's Final Score programme.
"Yes, they probably are playing better football.
"But they've not necessarily improved performances and results", he added.
Pressure is now mounting on Hughes to turn Stoke's form around heading into the busy Christmas period of fixtures.
The Potters take on Burnley at Turf Moor on Tuesday night before hosting strugglers West Ham, who won their first game under David Moyes on Saturday by beating Chelsea, at the bet365 Stadium next weekend.
