Stoke City has reportedly decided to keep Mark Hughes in charge of the club for the Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion.
On Saturday, Stoke suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham United, and the Potters have now lost five of their last six games in the top flight.
The weekend's result has left Stoke in 17th position in the standings - just one point above the relegation zone - and Hughes is now regarded as the bookmakers' favourite to be the next manager to be sacked this season.
However, according to the Stoke Sentinel, the club's hierarchy have decided to keep faith with Hughes for Saturday's all-important derby showdown with the Baggies.
Another defeat for Stoke would leave the Staffordshire-based outfit in the bottom three of the table, and it has been suggested that another setback could lead to a change of heart in the boardroom.
Hughes has been at Stoke since May 2013, with 70 wins coming from 195 matches in charge at the bet365 Stadium.
Darren Plant
