Stoke City assistant manager Mark Bowen has played down their slow start to the season and claims that performances have been "pleasing".

The Potters are yet to win this season following an opening-day defeat to Liverpool and back-to-back away draws at Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City.

However, Bowen believes that they have done well so far and hopes that a first win of the season is just around the corner.

"It is not a concern. Obviously we'd have liked to have won a game but if you look at our performances they have been pleasing," he told reporters.

"Liverpool is a difficult game, as they all are, and then two away games. We were certainly saying before a ball was kicked this season that if you can come away from the away games with a point then it is a good point.

"And looking back, I think anyone who saw the game against Liverpool would have felt we were the better side. We were unlucky not to get anything out of it."

Stoke travel to play Luton Town in the second round of the League Cup tonight.