Manager Mark Hughes has no doubts Stoke City will recover from Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League humbling by Leicester City in time to capitalise on Liverpool’s defensive frailties in the second leg of the League Cup semi-finals tonight.

The Potters head into a clash needing to score at least once to advance to the final after they lost the first leg 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium earlier this month.

“It’s a cup semi-final for goodness sake and if you can’t get up for that then there’s something wrong somewhere. We are having a decent season and we will bounce back, I’m sure of that because we always do,” Hughes told British media.

Liverpool prevailed in a nine-goal thriller against Norwich City on Saturday, exposing their porous defence in the 5-4 league win, which enthused Hughes.

“There’s a lot of goals being scored against them, but they have the ability of scoring at the other end and so we have to be mindful of that,” the former Manchester City manager said.

“We go there in good heart and it’s about making sure what our focus should be on Tuesday and if it is right we will go close.”

As well as losing the first leg, the Potters were also beaten by Liverpool – then managed by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp’s predecessor Brendan Rodgers – in the league earlier this season.

But they thrashed them 6-1 at the end of the previous campaign, and have registered notable victories since against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Hughes said: “We are going to really push this.

“If we do what we’re good at, we’ll run them very close.”

Stoke will be missing skipper Ryan Shawcross, with it being revealed yesterday that the defender is set to be sidelined for up to a month by the back injury he sustained in Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Leicester.

Hughes admitted the news was a blow, but said: “I’ve still got good players who can come in and they will be prepared and ready to go.”

Marko Arnautovic, who has been carrying a hamstring problem, was not part the squad at the weekend and fellow forward Bojan Krkic was an unused substitute, but both are expected to return to the starting line-up.

Geoff Cameron (ankle) remains sidelined but may be in contention for Saturday’s FA Cup game at Crystal Palace.

Semi-finals

Playing today
Liverpool vs Stoke City - 20.45 (First leg – 1-0)

Tomorrow
Man. City vs Everton - 20.45 (First leg – 1-2)

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