A first home game for Hughes in his new job, and a first chance for the fans at the Britannia to see their new manager in action. Will there be any noticeable change from last season under Tony Pulis to now? Sure, Hughes has enjoyed a pre-season to introduce new ideas to his team, but the ex-QPR boss is using pretty much the same squad as his compatriot. Hughes' reputation has taken a bit of a kicking in recent seasons. He did okay at Man City and still feels harshly treated by the owners at the Etihad, but his decision to walk away from Fulham after one season, siting a lack of ambition, only to turn up at QPR and contribute to their relegation last season, has hurt the former Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker's standing. Stoke fans will give him their usual boisterous support from the stands and understand the new gaffer needs time to change Stoke's style, but a home win will help Hughes massively.
