Stoke boss wary of difficult cup draw with Palace

The high-flying Eagles will host the Premier League outfit at Selhurst Park on January 5 and the Potters boss knows that the south London side, who have picked up 40 points in their opening 20 league games, will provide a tough test for his men.

“Once you step outside of the Premier League, it doesn’t get any more difficult than drawing one of the top teams in the Championship away,” Pulis told Stoke’s website.

“I am sure they will be up for it, and their fans too, and we have to go there and be ready for whatever is thrown at us.

“The Premier League will always be the most important thing for us, of course, but we’ve also shown in recent years how seriously we have taken and respected the FA Cup.

“In the last three years we’ve reached a Final and been beaten in the quarter-finals at Chelsea and Liverpool.

“We’d love another crack at such a great competition again, but the draw has obviously made it an extremely difficult first hurdle to get over.”