Stoke City are reportedly considering the future of manager Mark Hughes following the club's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at the bet365 Stadium on New Year's Day.
The result, which was the Potters' 12th Premier League defeat of the season, left them two places and two points outside the relegation zone and was the second successive game in which the club have failed to score.
According to Sky Sports News, Stoke's owners - the Coates family - are weighing up Hughes's fate, but are reluctant to dismiss the Welshman midway through the campaign.
The owners and chief executive Tony Scholes are also allegedly concerned about the lack of quality replacements, should Hughes depart Staffordshire.
Stoke, who are believed to want a British or Irish boss if their current manager is sacked, are aware of the difficulty that Everton faced following the sacking of Ronald Koeman.
The Coates family have only sacked one manager - Tony Pulis - from the club since they took ownership of the Potters for the second time in 2007.
Jonny Whitfield
