Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has said that the international break came as a hindrance to his team ahead of the visit of former club Manchester City.
The Potters opened their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool, but have since made up lost ground with victories against Crystal Palace and West Ham United.
"We're on a good run and ideally we would have played this game straight after West Ham," the 49-year-old, who was sacked after five months in charge of City in 2008, told reporters.
"The international break probably came at the wrong time for us, but Manchester City may say the same too, as they have lost a couple of players through injury.
"We're prepared though and we are ready to give them a real good game."
The Staffordshire outfit currently sit in fifth place.
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