City brought the curtain down on their inaugural Barclays Premier League campaign at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and despite slipping to a 4-1 defeat, it was still a day of celebration for the 3,000 strong army of travelling supporters.

Whilst Newcastle United, Hull City, Middlesbrough and Sunderland battled it out in what has been described as 'Survival Sunday', City's supporters were spared of any final day fears of relegation after Tony Pulis and his players had defied the odds well before match-day 38 to guarantee the Potters another crack at top flight football next season.

And with Arsenal already having secured Champions League football the only thing as stake for either side was pride. However, that of City's players could have been shattered when James Beattie fired into his own net early on before Robin Van Persie and Abou Diaby made it three before 20 minutes had passed. However, Ricardo Fuller pulled one back midway through the first half to restore some hope, but the game was put to bed just before the interval when Van Persie fired home his second of the afternoon.

Ahead of the game Tony Pulis made three changes to the side which picked up an impressive 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic 8 days ago. Thomas Sorensen was replaced in goal by Steve Simonsen after failing a pre-match fitness test whilst a bout of food poisoning ruled out Matthew Etherington with Carl Dickinson taking up his spot in the starting eleven. Danny Pugh was also dropped to the bench meaning Salif Diao came in to the heart of midfield.

Arsenal's goalkeeping crisis meant a first ever start for youngster Vito Mannone, whilst Barclays Premier League Player of the Month Andrey Arshavin started out wide for the hosts, with England star Theo Walcott occupying the other flank.

The match started and it could have been a dream opening for the Potters had Ricardo Fuller been able to divert Rory Delap's throw-in goalwards, however, unfortunately his powerful header drifted just wide of the keepers left hand post.

It wasn't long before the Gunners got into the swing of things though with Euro 2008 winner Cesc Fabregas going close from range, before Steve Simonsen was forced into making a superb stop to deny Denilson from 30-yards.

With the visitors more than holding their own in the opening stages it came as a catastrophic blow when in form striker Beattie sliced an attempted clearance inside the penalty area into his own net after Walcott did well to muster space to fire in a cross in the tenth minute.

Barely three minutes had elapsed by the time referee Martin Atkinson gave Arsene Wenger's side the chance to double their advantage from the spot after Ryan Shawcross was adjudged to have tripped Holland international Van Persie inside the penalty area. He picked himself up, dusted himself down, stepped up and crashed the ball into the back of the net comfortably to make it 2-0.

Van Persie was causing all sorts of problems for the City backline and it was he who turned provider to Diaby in the 18th minute to make it three. His delightful ball into the danger zone was met by the towering defender who powerfully headed past Simonsen and into the back of the net to send the majority of the Emirates Stadium into delirium.

To Stoke's credit though, they didn't lie down and die, as they have demonstrated throughout the campaign, instead they pushed forward in search of an avenue back into the contest. One which came in the 31st minute from the penalty spot. Jamaican international Fuller capitalised on a slip from Kieren Gibbs and burst into the 18-yard box before Brazilian international Denilson brought him down. Similarly to Van Persie, Fuller confidently stepped up and rolled the ball to the keepers left to the delight of the City supporters who were being temporarily housed at the other end.

A rendition of 'we're gonna win 4-3' burst out moments later, and had Lawrence's effort hit the back of the net rather than flying wide minutes later, they could have been proven right. However, the game was all but put to bed in the 41st minute when an uncharacteristic Delap mistake played in Van Persie, who exquisitely controlled the ball on his chest, swivelled and smashed the ball past Thomas Sorensen, after he had just replaced Simonsen, who looked to have picked up a back injury.

The half time interval brought no changes with it for the visitors, but Wenger did introduce Denmark international Nicklas Bendtner for his final appearance of the campaign at the expense of Walcott. The teams were welcomed on to the field with echoes of 'there's only one Arsene Wenger' as Arsenal fans demonstrated their desire to retain the services of the Frenchman, after media speculation has been linking him with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

In all honesty, the second period turned out to be 45 minutes of pure end of season stuff. There was plenty of fancy football from the hosts, but the cutting edge which they had delivered so sharply in the first half had deserted them.

Ryan Shawcross, who has established himself as a top flight player, headed just over for the hosts in the 49th minute while Sorensen saved brilliantly to deny Van Persie a hat-trick just before the hour mark. A spell of stoppages soon followed as both managers used the rest of their substitutions to give their players some final minutes of playing time.

Long range efforts from Denilson and Bacary Sagna were the closest the hosts came to extending their advantage, and City's best and only real effort of the half fell to Glenn Whelan, but the Ireland international drove his effort well wide from 12-yards after Beattie had teed him up.

The fourth official indicated just two minutes of added time at the end of the initial 90, and once the final whistle was blown it was met by a rousing applause from all corners of the stadium, in particularly the away end, who were celebrating the Club's best finish in almost 30 years.

It was rather fitting to see a huge 'Paddy Power' advertising banner lofted high above where the City supporters were housed, and even more fitting when the fans burst out into one final chorus of 'we are staying up' whilst pointing to the banner and remembering them paying up on the Club being relegated following the opening day defeat against Bolton Wanderers.

Just out of question Mr Paddy Power, any chance of paying up on us being relegated after the first match of next season?

WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE…