Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that his side faces a difficult trip to Stoke City tomorrow night in the Premier League.

The Blues are in need of a positive result at the Britannia Stadium after slipping seven points behind leaders Chelsea last weekend.

Pellegrini is confident that his players can end their four-game winless run in the league, though he believes that they will have to work hard for it.

"[Stoke] are a very good team, not only at this moment – they are always a very difficult team, especially playing at the Britannia," he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News. "But we are going to go as we always do when we play away, to try and win the three points from the first minute."

City suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Stoke in the reverse fixture between the sides at the start of the season.