Survival is key for Pulis

Pulis believes Stoke can bounce back from recent bad form in the Premier League following Stoke's exit for Europe. 


Stoke's attention now focuses on the Premier League after the defeat in Valencia. Pulis will be looking to end a run of four defeats against Swansea tomorrow.

"We need to pick some points up," admitted the Stoke boss. "We've got enough games to do it and I'm just hoping and praying it drops for us on Sunday.

"Every team that have gone the distance (in the Europa League) have found it difficult to keep the momentum going. We have to make sure we focus ourselves now and try to get an extra 10 points.

"We need another 10 points to stay in the Premier League and we've got a massive FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool. The lads will relish that. We'll be rank outsiders, and rightly so, but we'll be fully committed.

"It's been very taxing on the players and it's been very hard getting them back up for Sunday games but the players have really enjoyed it.

"It's been draining for me too but I've got to get myself going. Occasions like this you live for and you dream about."

Pulis rested key players for the trip to Valencia and is expected to restore many of them to the starting line-up against the Swans.

One dilemma is whether to pick Asmir Begovic or Thomas Sorensen in goal, with some speculating - given Pulis' rotation policy - that Sorensen's inclusion in Spain would see Begovic start on Sunday.

But Pulis added: "I just wanted to give Thomas a game.

"Asmir's played the last couple of games and I've always rotated. I think the goalkeepers are very close in lots of respects. I thought Thomas did smashing."