Tuesday 5 January 2016 23:23, UK
Mark Hughes says Stoke are still very much in their Capital One Cup semi-final despite losing the first leg 1-0 at home to Liverpool.
Jordon Ibe's 37th-minute goal was the difference on a night when Liverpool lost both Philippe Coutinho and Dejan Lovren to hamstring injuries.
But Stoke could not take advantage and will now have to overturn the one-goal deficit when they go to Anfield on January 26 for the second leg.
"In the first half we found it difficult to play our game," Hughes told Sky Sports. "Second half they had the benefit of the goal, so they could play on the counter attack, get people behind the ball and make it difficult for us.
"But we dominated the second half, we just needed that break and the ball to run for us. We had a couple of chances that on another day might have fallen for us but we are still very much in the tie. We are not too despondent."
The Potters improved after the break and almost grabbed a last-gasp equaliser when substitute Jon Walters dragged a shot wide from Peter Crouch's flick-on.
"It was always going to be a difficult tie for us against Liverpool, but it can turn round very quickly," said Hughes. "We have an opportunity at the end of the month.
"The first leg has come at a really busy time and maybe the slight edge has been away from us today, but we will be fine for the second leg and look forward to it.
"If we had over committed and conceded another it would have been very difficult, but we kept our discipline. We stayed strong in defence and caused them problems. We needed the ball to break for us and it didn't quite happen."
