Pulis primed for FA Cup showdown

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has praised his team’s commitment ahead of their FA Cup final clash against Manchester City on Saturday.

Since handing Bolton a 5-0 thrashing in the semi-final on April 17, Stoke have collected eight of a possible 12 points to move into eighth in the English Premier League.

Pulis said his team was heading to Wembley in top form and the commitment of his players was the key.

“I don’t think there have been many teams who have got into the final of a cup competition and then had a run of results like we have had,” he told The Sentinel.

“That is credit to the players. We played Blackpool and after 20 minutes, I was worried that some of them were going to get injured because they were so committed.”

“But that is the way the club has been built over the last four or five years. They are a committed group.”

Pulis is sure to be without striker Ricardo Fuller and defender Danny Higginbotham, who have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, Robert Huth and Matthew Etherington are both under injury clouds and will be given until the last minute to prove their fitness.

Pulis said his team faced a tough task if they were to overcome Roberto Mancini’s team, but they had a chance to prove their doubters wrong.

“Physically, they are strong and the two centre-halves have good experience,” he said.

“They have good players, but right through the team they are powerful as well.”

“We are looking forward to this game. We have had three years of proving we can do what people think we can’t.”

Saturday’s match will be Stoke’s first FA Cup final appearance.