Hughes anxious to add muscle

Stoke City 1, Man City 0

MANCHESTER City boss Mark Hughes will intensify his attempts to add further players to his already expensive squad after a shattering 1–0 defeat at Stoke.

Ten–man Stoke won their first home game since November, and ended a run of 13 games without a victory.

And against a Manchester City side whose starting line–up cost over £90million, it was a major boost to Stoke’s battle to avoid relegation.

Even after Rory Delap was sent off after 37 minutes, the defiant Potteries side produced a resilient display to claim three priceless points.

Hughes pointedly claimed that his side did not have a physical, attacking, presence against a competitive Stoke.

“We just didn’t create enough chances to break them down. We had a lot of attack–minded players on the pitch at the end, we looked for every option, but this time it did not work.

“It is hard to make space on a very tight pitch, one on which Stoke are running hard and closing everyone down.”

“It was difficult to break them down in that second half, they are resolute as we know and they get lots of people behind the ball.

“They had the benefit of the goal we conceded so late in that first half.

“And when a team finds itself in that position with a goal to defend and something to battle for, even though they are down to 10 men, it makes it even more difficult.

“The one time we did break through, Micah Richards was taken out in the box for what was a clear penalty. It was blatant, but not given.”

The Potters fans were left to celebrate a famous victory, against a team who are on a different financial planet to their own side.

The eventual winner came four minutes into first–half injury time when the club’s two new signings combined to punish a City side who were half–asleep to the danger.

Matthew Etherington’s excellent cross from the left flashed into the box with barely any attempt to block it, and James Beattie rose unchallenged at the far post to head home.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis had no complaints over Delap’s red card, but was furious with the decision seconds earlier not to punish Shaun Wright–Phillips for a poor challenge on Etherington that had a direct effect on what followed.

Wright–Phillips should have been penalised, but Delap chased him and tripped him from behind before kicking the ball at the fallen player.

But Pulis was keener to praise his 10–men for their battling display. He said: “We showed tremendous resilience throughout, but in the second half we were outstanding.”