Fulham were relegated from the Premier League as goals from Peter Odemwingie, Marko Arnautovic, Oussama Assaidi and Jonathan Walters saw them lose 4-1 at Stoke City on Saturday.

The London club were never in the game against a side whose safety was already assured and trailed 1-0 at the break before tamely conceding three times in the second half.

It meant that their 13-year tenure in the top flight came to an end in sorry fashion, despite Kieran Richardson scoring at 3-0.

Fulham struggled to get going early on and the hosts came close to opening the scoring with just three minutes on the clock as Steven Nzonzi's pull-back found Liverpool loanee Assaidi, who blazed over.

Assaidi's inclusion in place of Peter Crouch allowed Odemwingie to play further forward and the Nigerian went close with a shot after a Stoke break, before left-back Erik Pieters shot wide from Glenn Whelan's pass.

The visitors were struggling to create much in an attacking sense, but briefly threatened when Lewis Holtby's snapshot was deflected wide.

Fulham were not helping themselves in defence either, with Mahamadou Diarra giving the ball straight to Stephen Ireland on the edge of his own penalty area, but the Irish midfielder saw his shot well saved by David Stockdale.

The visitors were again indebted to Stockdale for foiling Ireland minutes later and then he blocked a 20-yard effort from Assaidi.

Fulham lacked urgency and manager Felix Magath took decisive action before half-time by replacing Holtby with Ashkan Dejagah.

It failed to help, and Stoke got the reward their efforts deserved on 39 minutes.

Arnautovic's persistence allowed him to cross for Ireland, whose shot was diverted onto the bar by defender John Heitinga.

Odemwingie reacted quickest to bundle home the rebound for his fifth Stoke goal in 14 appearances since leaving Cardiff City in January.

Stoke might have gone further in front before the break as Arnautovic's spectacular effort after cutting in from the right was brilliantly saved by a diving Stockdale.

Stoke manager Mark Hughes left Fulham in 2011, citing a lack of ambition, and to the dismay of their large gathering of travelling fans, the visitors showed little sign of improvement in the second half.

Instead it was Stoke who continued to press, with Nzonzi firing over following a free-flowing move involving Assaidi and Arnoutovic.

Fulham's fate was sealed nine minutes into the second period as Stoke were allowed to break with numbers.

Fed by Assaidi, Odemwingie burst down the left and found Arnautovic, who hammered in his fifth goal for the Potters.

Stoke continued to press, with Marc Muniesa pulling back for Assaidi, whose effort was again superbly saved by the wrong-footed Stockdale.

Substitute Charlie Adam was the next to go close as he sliced wide from an Odemwingie pass, but Stoke did get a third goal on 73 minutes.

Again it came on the break as Arnautovic's cross presented Assaidi with a well-deserved tap-in.

Richardson pulled one back 10 minutes from time by converting on the half-volley after Stoke failed to clear Dejagah's cross.

But the goal mattered little as Stoke went down to the other end and scored a fourth within two minutes, Walters finishing well after being put through by Adam.

Sunderland's 1-0 win at Manchester United left Fulham four points adrift of safety, ahead of their final game of the season at home to Crystal Palace next weekend.