Mark Hughes has backed his Stoke City side to reach their pre-season target of 50 points before the end of the campaign.

The Potters, who have earned 44 points from 35 games, are currently 10th in the Premier League, and Hughes believes that their critics have been proved wrong since he replaced Tony Pulis last summer.

"We set ourselves a challenge at the beginning of the year and we're on course," Hughes told reporters.

"I sat them down and said this is what we are going to try and do. Given that the points total was higher than they had ever got before, maybe some of them in the room didn't believe it was possible.

"I think a lot of people at the beginning of the season thought we would have difficulty competing, but we have been okay and we're in a great position to finish off the season in a good way."

Stoke host Tottenham Hotspur at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday afternoon.