Stoke City manager Mark Hughes says the Potters are more accomplished under him than in the Pulis era

Stoke travel to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion, who are managed by Hughes’ predecessor Tony Pulis. 

The 57-year-old recently was awarded Manager of the Month for the work done with new club West Brom, which has seen the Midlands club rise up the table. They looked down and out earlier in the campaign, but the Welsh coach has shored up the backline and would love to get one over his former employers this weekend.

Pulis is best known for his seven-year second stint with Stoke, that saw the club reach the FA Cup final while continuing to comfortably consolidate in the division. But an uncharacteristic slump in form towards the end of the season cost Pulis his job with City, and Hughes eventually replaced him. And ahead of the two managers locking horns, Hughes says his Stoke side are better than before he took over.

“I have acknowledged the work that Tony did here. I got the job because there was a feeling that the team was starting to fail. The way we have progressed since has been quite exceptional. The players deserve credit for the way they have embraced the new style. We have a more possession-based game now and we control games. As a consequence of that we are a more accomplished team in my opinion,” he said.