Pulis let down by Huth conduct

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis accepts that the FA was right to hand defender Robert Huth a three-match ban for violent conduct.

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis accepts that the FA was right to hand defender Robert Huth a three-match ban for violent conduct.

The 28-year-old centre-back appeared to elbow Fulham’s Philippe Senderos during the club’s 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday, in an incident that was missed by the referee.

The FA charged the German retrospectively, and Pulis believes that Huth has nobody to blame but himself.

“I don’t think Robert will be pleased and it affects the team,” Pulis told reporters.

“But everyone makes mistakes and he will be big enough and strong enough to hold his hand up and say that what he did was wrong.

“Robert has been fantastic for this football club – a great player and one of the signings we will look back on and say: ‘What a wonderful signing’.

“But I think he has let himself down more than anything else.”

Stoke sit in 10th place in the Premier League standings and face fellow mid-table outfit West Ham at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.