Intro:

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes spoke to the media on Thursday (October 23rd), ahead of his side's English Premier League trip to in-form Southampton.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager (on Southampton's 8-0 win over Sunderland):

"No, no. It was an outstanding result. It doesn't matter what level you're playing at, to win eight-nil is an outstanding performance. Obviously, we go there.... with them, obviously, on an obvious high because of the level of the performance and the result, but we're in confident mood ourselves. Obviously we, we won last time out as well, so.... we'd like to think we'd make, hopefully, a better first of it, should I suggest, but.... we'll recognise the challenge that they have and the ability they have in the squad, but we've got plenty of that ourselves, so they'll know that it will be a difficult game for them and.... it's up to us to make sure it's a one-off performance and result in terms of Southampton and it's not something that continues, certainly in our game."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager (on midfielder Glenn Whelan, who broke a leg while away on international duty with the Republic of Ireland):

"Big oversight haven't we, to be perfectly.... Glenn has, unfortunately, he's got a fracture in his leg. He got it in the international game (against Germany), got a kick on the outside of his leg and there's a slight fracture there. He's not, he's not been put into a plaster cast. We're going to try and manage it without that because we feel, and Glenn feels he'll get back sooner, but the likelihood is that he's going to be out for.... four to six weeks I would imagine.... which is a blow for Glenn, obviously, because he is a big part of what we're doing and, and we'll miss him, but we have got options, midfielders we've been talking about, but it's a blow for him because.... obviously he's been playing well of late, so it's a blow for him and for us, but we'll get him back as soon as we can."