Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has claimed that his team will face their upcoming fixtures with "plenty of optimism" as the hectic festive Premier League schedule edges closer.

The Potters face trips to Southampton and Sunderland, as well as a League Cup quarter-final against Sheffield Wednesday and a home match against Manchester City in the next fortnight.

"It will be tricky but we are in good spirits and we can approach these games with plenty of optimism," Hughes told reporters.

"Our record [against Southampton at St Mary's] isn't great. We have been down there and taken a point, which was decent, but ideally we want to get three."

Stoke are currently 12th in the league table.