Source: PA
Pulis weighing up his options
Stoke manager Tony Pulis admits he has a delicate balancing act to perform with his team selection to ensure he gets a maximum return from the next week.
The Potters have three matches in a seven days, kicking off in the FA Cup fourth round at Wolves on Sunday, followed by a midweek trip to Liverpool, before they host Sunderland next Saturday lunchtime.
Pulis has stressed on many occasions the Barclays Premier League remains the club's number-one priority and despite his side sitting 10th, eight points clear of the relegation zone, he is keen for them to secure a fourth successive season in the top flight as soon as possible.
But a place in the last-16 of the cup is not an opportunity to pass up, although the Stoke boss believes the Potters have been dealt the worst hand by the fixture list.
"We would love to go to Molineux and get a result that takes us through to the fifth round of the cup but we also have to take into account the fact that the games haven't dropped kindly for us," he said.
"It is disappointing they are playing the FA Cup fourth round on a Saturday when there is a midweek fixture - why they couldn't they have organised it for a free week I just don't know."
