Mark Hughes expecting Liverpool backlash

Mark Hughes has revealed that he is expecting a backlash from Liverpool, after his side delivered a humiliating 6-1 defeat to the Reds on the final day of last season.

Brendan Rodgers says that he is still haunted by the club's heaviest defeat in 52 years, but wants to make up for the loss by beating the Potters on Sunday.

Hughes insists that the emphatic win was a 'one-off' and says that the thrashing will only motivate the Liverpool players.

"I don't think there's too many of us that feel what happened in that game will be repeated," the 51-year-old told Sky Sports News.

"We'd like to think it would be but Liverpool will have a lot to say about it. At the beginning of the season expectations are always high for everybody and no less so from a club the stature of Liverpool. They'll be wanting to address that, it was certainly a blot on their copybook.

"I've heard their players talk about how they want to make sure that it doesn't happen again. The reverse of that is obviously we'll have something to say about that as well. We're hoping for a positive start to what we hope is going to be a very successful season."

Hughes led his side to a ninth-place finish last season, while Rodgers's side finished in sixth.