Stoke City were in the Premier League for all nine seasons. Against City they played 18, won two, drew six and took 12 points. Take City out and all 12 come off.
The pattern is the story. In six of the nine seasons Stoke took exactly one point off City. From 2009/10 to 2012/13 it was the same result each time: a 1–1 draw at home. Then a 0–0 at home in 2013/14, and a 0–0 at the Etihad in 2016/17.
One point is cheap to lose. It costs less than City’s place is worth, so in those six seasons Stoke still move up. In 2009/10 and 2013/14 it is only the free place, the one every club below City gets. In 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2016/17 Stoke climb one place further: 11th, not 13th; 12th, not 14th; 11th, not 13th; 11th, not 13th. None of it changes their fate. Their best rebuilt finish is eighth, in 2013/14 and again in 2014/15; for real they never finished higher than ninth.
The two wins are dearer. They came in consecutive seasons, and each is worth three points.