Stoke 'have one fit centre-half' for Chelsea's visit, Mark Hughes says

Stoke manager Mark Hughes faces the cameras for his press conference ahead as the Potters prepare to host Chelsea.

HUGHES REACTS TO SAMPSON SACKING

Mark Hughes has given his reaction to Mark Sampson's sacking as England Women manager.

"I'm not in possession of all the facts... but it seems like the issue has dragged on and dragged on," Hughes said.

"There has been a lot of discussion in regards to past inquiries and investigations into behaviour and of individuals.

"Now seems like they have gone even further back to other issues surrounding Mark Sampson and now he has lost his job.

"For me to comment on something that I'm not in possession of the facts would be wrong, but it just seems like the process is wrong as well in terms of the recruitment of individuals and the understanding of where they are."

WIMMER A 'MAJOR DOUBT'

Mark Hughes says Stoke are "struggling a little bit defensively" ahead of their clash with Chelsea on Saturday and revealed Kevin Wimmer is a "major doubt".

"Ryan [Shawcross] won't be available. Geoff Cameron won't be available. Kurt Zouma isn't available. 

"We've got a major doubt on Kevin Wimmer, so that's touch and go. We will have to have a look and see how he is today. 

"So as it stands, of the senior centre-halves that I've got, I've only got one."

“Ryan Shawcross unfortunately isn’t going to make it, neither is Geoff Cameron and Kevin Wimmer is going to be touch and go too.

“Kevin is our major doubt for the game, so I am waiting on an update on his availability, we are desperately hoping he is ok.

“He has a hamstring injury which has hindered him this week, so we are going to have to check up on him this afternoon and then make a decision.”

He added: “Obviously had Kurt been available then we would have been able to manage, but as it stands we are down to just one senior defender, Bruno Martins Indi.”

The news could pave the way for Harry Souttar to step into the squad for the first time in the Premier League, although Hughes does have the option of moving Glen Johnson and Erik Pieters into more central positions.

HUGHES: WE ARE STRETCHED 

Mark Hughes says he hasn't given up hope on Kevin Wimmer being fit to play against Chelsea this weekend but revealed he has sustained some damage to his hamstring and is a "big risk".

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed Kevin will be okay," he said.

"He has got damage to his hamstring. I am hoping it won't stop him laying but clearly at the moment he's a big risk. 

"We are a little bit stretched to say the least."

HUGHES: WE DIDN'T PERFORM TUESDAY

Mark Hughes voiced his disappointment at his side's performance in their 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Bristol City. 

"We didn't perform. In fairness, it was our worst performance of the season," he said.

"We have done well, clearly, in Premier League and this was a competition we didn't take lightly. I never do.

"We should have been strong enough but on the day we didn't perform."

“We disappointed ourselves earlier in the week, so we are eager to respond to that in the right manner against Chelsea,” he said.

“There is always a reaction on the back of a disappointing result, and we fully expect the performance to be markedly better this weekend.

“There is nothing we can do about what happened on Tuesday so we need to make a good account of ourselves against the champions, which I fully believe we will do.

“We are coming up against Chelsea, the champions, and we saw their quality in midweek when they were able to dispatch of their opposition at ease.

“It will be a huge test for us, but we have come up against Arsenal and Manchester United and taken points off them so we are confident of doing the same this weekend.

“We may have to ride our luck at times, just as you always do in these games, but we have done well in our last two home fixtures and we want that to continue this weekend.”