Stoke City: Tony Pulis urging fans to help shout down Liverpool at the Britannia
TONY Pulis has called on fans to blow away their Christmas cobwebs by backing Stoke's bid to upset another of football's grand reputations when Liverpool visit the Britannia Stadium this evening (7.45pm).
Pulis insists a fixture against Liverpool remains one of the toughest tests in the Premier League calendar.
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Tony Pulis
But he says Stoke can extend their unbeaten run to nine games with the support of a noisy Brit.
"I hope our fans have had a bellyful of turkey," said the Stoke boss, "and now we need them to come and work it off.
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"People go on about how many years it's been since Liverpool won the title, but you look at what they have spent and the players they are assembling, and then tell me they aren't a team on the up.
"Our lads have done superbly lately, particularly defensively, and they know they will have to be at 100 per cent to get anything out of Liverpool.
"The same goes for our fans, because without the noise they make we would never be in the position we are."
Stoke went into Christmas with more points than ever before at this stage of a Premier League season, while their eight-match unbeaten run is their longest since promotion in 2008.
Pulis says this is proof that the club and his team are improving year-on-year, but at a gradual pace that must not be increased too quickly.
He said: "I think our fans understand that because they have certainly been with us every step of the way."
Pulis will consider making several changes this evening with the likes of Dean Whitehead and Peter Crouch pushing for starts in midfield and attack respectively.
There is also an outside chance Pulis could slip Michael Owen on to the bench against his old club after fitness problems prevented him travelling to Anfield for October's goalless draw.
Big match preview: Page 38
Comments
by Stars-stripes
Monday, December 31 2012, 8:41AM
“I'm so glad you enjoyed my play on words, I didn't think you would get it. I particularly like how lie can be taken two ways as well”
by summertime
Sunday, December 30 2012, 10:32PM
“oh and stripes ?? that is "Can the Eagle FLY with the Dove"
......lie with the dove. now that's funny !”
by Stars-stripes
Sunday, December 30 2012, 7:31PM
“Hands up whose not happy”
by summertime
Sunday, December 30 2012, 2:32PM
“Did wheatear say we were supposed to struggle against Southampton ?? A team at the bottom of the league, candidates for relegation, one who hadn't beaten a top 10 team in the Prem in their previous 8 attempts this season, with 8 losses and a draw, that Southampton ?
The excuses people make really are amazing !”
by Stars-stripes
Sunday, December 30 2012, 1:18PM
“Thought the roof would come off when jerome hit that peach”
by Stars-stripes
Saturday, December 29 2012, 8:57AM
“The twelfth man has a big role today”
by wheatear
Saturday, December 29 2012, 7:32AM
“What an exciting time to be a Stoke fan - looking for ten games unbeaten against a side historically we would always have struggled against and without taking anything for granted, we will today be the favourites and have the chance to cement our top half position.
The Prem is and has been for some time, three leagues in one. This season we will hopefully make the break through from a surviving club to be a respectable mid table club. In reality for me it will be just like winning promotion again and I see our position akin to being in the top two. That is how we should be celebrating and hopefully the crowd will show their teeth again today as we did against Liverpool. The noise was immense again at times and as others have stated, the high it generated in me has not disapaited in any way!
Lets not forget, today is only the second time that we have played as many at home as we have away and can be truly judged as to our performance so far.
Here's hoping for a bucket full of grit and determination after all our confidence must be sky high and who knows Wilko just might score - now that would bring the roof down!!”
by wheatear
Saturday, December 29 2012, 7:32AM
“And in responding to those who all agree that trying to ignore him does not work (and the point that all five posters agreed is significant here) he responds by insulting every poster with:
morons unite!!
Speaks volumes for the type of person he is.
soothsayer, after he was banned as soccerfoot, this site went through a glorious four or five week period with no abuse what so ever, purely because he went away.
That is the only way you will get rid of him, because no matter who it is that responds to his jibes, somebody always will (It is what he hopes for, seemingly lives for and definitely feeds from) and the abuse then starts.”
by Stars-stripes
Saturday, December 29 2012, 1:34AM
“Can the eagle lie with the dove”
by summertime
Friday, December 28 2012, 9:17PM
“morons unite !!”