Friday 29 December 2017 12:17, UK
Mark Hughes says Stoke have an injury crisis on their hands, particularly in defence, but he remains confident the Potters will move away from the lower reaches of the Premier League.
A number of players are still a few weeks away from returning to the first team but, when they do, Hughes believes Stoke's position in the table will improve - they are currently 13th with 20 points from 20 matches.
Speaking on Friday, ahead of Saturday's trip to Chelsea, Hughes said of the club's injury concerns: "Quite a big crisis actually. We're missing a few.
"Bruno Martins Indi is two or three weeks away. Erik Pieters might have a chance - we'll check on him today. But even Monday [against Newcastle] might be too soon for him.
"Ryan Shawcross is also two to three weeks from being ready, while Kurt Zouma can't play as it [Chelsea] is his parent club and Glen Johnson isn't available.
"So yes, we have a few problems. But our young players will have to come in and we'll have to try and find a way of being competitive.
"We'll have to stay in the game and then, at some stage, create some chances ourselves.
"It's a difficult fixture under any circumstance, and ideally you'd have your best eleven available.
"And when we played Chelsea at home (a 4-0 defeat in September), the same thing happened. We finished the game without a recognised centre-half. It's just the way it's fallen."
Stoke's plight has been eased during the past seven days with a 3-1 home victory over West Brom and a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield.
And Hughes says there is light at the end of the tunnel, adding: "We've picked up four points in our last two games, which is a decent return.
"We have a good determination in the group and, after Chelsea, we'll be ready for Newcastle on New Year's Day.
"We're ticking along but need to get more than one point a game - which is what we've always done.
"And we now need to start picking up a few more points. We have some decent games coming up, notwithstanding Chelsea, and we feel we'll be okay in the new year, once we get everyone back. But of course we're stretched at the moment.
"But if we get everyone back, and don't lose anymore to injuries, we should be okay for the second half of the season."
