Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has rejected claims that his side have been complacent in matches against teams below them in the table this season.
The Potters have dazzled at times this term, recording victories over the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, in addition to taking further points off high-flyers Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, they have also been beaten by the likes of Sunderland and Norwich City, and will be looking to avoid a similar upset when they host relegation-threatened Norwich City on Wednesday.
"I don't think it's through complacency or underestimating the challenge of different teams. We know every Premier League game gives you problems and you have to have the answers," Hughes told reporters.
"In certain games we've been unlucky, other times we've not performed and you also have to give credit to the opposition. Teams have come here, frustrated us and at times got breaks to take games away from us.
"For the most part we've been okay, ideally we want to be solid in the top half for the rest of the season now, and this game will hopefully help us create that gap between us and the bottom half."
Stoke currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, just four points adrift of the top five.
Barney Corkhill
