Mark Hughes eyes Wembley final with Stoke City

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has set his sights on reaching a Wembley final with the club this season.

Stoke face Championship side Birmingham City in the fourth round of the League Cup on Tuesday, and Hughes insists that he will give the competition the respect it deserves despite hovering perilously close to the Premier League relegation zone.

The Welshman is not expecting an easy game at St Andrew's but does believe that his side can qualify for the next round.

"We will be strong because I've always picked strong sides if you a look at the teams I've picked this year and in previous years at different clubs. I've always tried to give the competition the respect it deserves and we are edging towards the latter stages so why wouldn't we go strong?" Hughes told reporters.

"I'll make changes - some might be forced and others because I want to look at certain things - but we'll go with a team capable of winning the game. The competition has been quite good to me and I've always enjoyed cup competitions. I'd love to be able to take Stoke to a Wembley final, that was the aim at the start of the season.

"Birmingham are strong at home and caused an upset against Swansea so we won't take them lightly but we feel we can progress. Their crowd is passionate and demands that of them so it is not an easy fixture for us by any stretch of the imagination."

Hughes won the competition three times during his playing days.