Stoke City are refusing to panic over their alarming start to the season and have offered their full support to manager Mark Hughes.

After four defeats in the opening five Premier League games, Stoke are bottom of the table and in his three years at the club Hughes is facing the first real signs of mutiny from supporters.

Since their Capital One semi-final defeat by Liverpool on Jan 26, Stoke have won only five league games and suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Sunday to leave Hughes as the new favourite with some bookmakers to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season.