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Mark Hughes has backed Stoke striker Peter Crouch to join the Premier League’s elite 100 club.

Crouch, 33, netted his 86th top-flight goal in last week’s draw with Swansea as he bids to become the 25th player to rack up a ton.

One of his most memorable was a stunning volley for Stoke against their weekend opponents Manchester City in March 2012.

“I have previously admired him from afar and working with him now I have to say his qualities are even better than I thought,” said boss Hughes, himself the scorer of 63 Premier League goals.

“I’d like to think he can make 100. He’s an experienced player and 86 Premier League goals takes some doing. He’s playing exceptionally well at the moment and did well against Southampton to get his goal, and again against Swansea.”

Alan Shearer leads way with 260 Premier League goals, followed by Andy Cole (187), Thierry Henry (176) and Frank Lampard (167).

Crouch now has eight in 27 appearances for the Potters this season, and Hughes reckons the much-travelled cult hero has benefited from getting more support around him in recent weeks.

He added: “He’s probably got more options now because he can link the play as well as he always has, but also benefit from Jon (Walters) and Charlie (Adam) giving him support, so he’s got the option of flicking things on and also exploiting the pace in wider areas.

“I would suggest he’s enjoying what’s going on around him because at times he has been isolated and we haven’t been able to give him the support he’s needed. His strength is his ability in the air and to bring other people into the game, but now he’s got more support around him.”

* STOKE have suffered an injury blow ahead of Saturday's trip to Manchester City with defender Robert Huth suffering a set-back.

Huth had been expected to be back in action by now after surgery on a knee

injury in November. The problem has flared up again in training though and the club now are now worried he may have to go under the knife again.

Meanwhile, Potters defender Andy Wilkinson is getting a new one-year deal, despite only starting two Premier League games this season. The full-back, 29, would otherwise have been out of contract in the summer.