Mark Hughes insisted defeat to League Two Coventry has not affected his job security at Stoke and added that an FA Cup exit might benefit the club long-term.
The Stoke manager will come under further scrutiny following a 2-1 defeat to a side ranked 53 places lower in the football pyramid, watched by chairman Peter Coates.
The Stoke board considered Hughes’s position after last week’s defeat to Newcastle sent the club into the Premier League relegation zone but the Welshman remained in charge.
Jack Grimmer reinstated the home-side’s lead with a wonderful strike from distance which refiled into the bottom corner
Jordan Willis celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal against the Premier League outfit
Willis (left) got on the end of a whipped corner to head the League Two side into a surprise lead against Stoke
Some Stoke fans protested against manager Mark Hughes after they conceded a goal following a poor run of form
Hughes watches on as his Stoke side fail to find an equaliser against League Two side Coventry on Saturday afternoon
Hughes said: ‘Has it changed anything markedly from this afternoon? Is it any different from the situation after the Newcastle game? I don’t think it is. It just highlights we need to do better.
‘But in the long term, certainly until the end of the season, it might be a blessing for us.
‘We need to be better in key moments in the game. We are a little bit too easy to score against and that’s not a good recipe.
‘We are hamstrung because of the injuries. We need a fair crack in getting players back. Senior players, our captain.’
He added: ‘We were taking it seriously. We wanted to progress, it was important to get a positive result. We haven’t, so it’s a downer for us. We wanted to get some confidence. They were excellent in their work, got lots of bodies behind the ball.’
Mark Robins said victory was ‘massive’ for Coventry after goals by Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer cancelled out Charlie Adam’s penalty.
Robins’ side are third in League Two and were able to call on the support of more than 10,000 home fans in the Ricoh Arena.
Robins said: ‘The lads that have performed today have been magnificent and for us it’s a great barometer where we can get to.
‘It’s an outstanding achievement, against a team full of stars, some of whom will be playing at the World Cup this summer. To come out and not scrap or hold on, we were deserved winners.
Stoke manager Hughes before their FA Cup third round clash against Coventry was hoping to ease pressure on his job
Striker Peter Crouch takes his place on the substitutes bench as the side’s prepare for kick-off at the Ricoh Arena
Both captains Joe Allen (right) and Michael Doyle (left) pose for a photo with the teams’ mascot before the game
Stoke forward Saido Berahino starts for the Premier league side and puts pressure on Coventry defender Jordan Willis
Winger Ramadan Sobhi holds the ball away from the challenge of home defender Jack Grimmer (right) in the first half
‘The Cup is an extra for us. It brings everybody together. The atmosphere was outstanding and the supporters desperately want to grab on to something.
‘They’re lifeblood of the club. Some are staying away at the moment but we want them back.
‘I can’t ask them to come, as it’s so expensive. But we need every penny we can in the transfer market. We’re trying to build something.’
Jack Butland watches the ball to produce a comfortable save as the League Two side pile the pressure on Stoke
Charlie Adam (right) shrugs off the pressure from Jordan Maguire-Drew (left) as Stoke look to take control of the tie
Allen mirrors the run from Maxime Biamou (left) as Coventry look to stage an upset against the Premier League side
Stephen Ireland watches the ball as he gets himself in front of Maguire-Drew (centre) to clear the ball from danger
Stoke defender Kurt Zouma clears the danger with a header as Coventry were unlucky to not be two goals up at half-time
Crouch replaced Geoff Cameron early in the second half and controls the ball under the pressure from the defense
The spot-kick was correctly awarded after goal-scorer Ellis tripped Stoke winger Ramadan Sobhi in the penalty box
Charlie Adam celebrates after converting a penalty to bring the scores level against the run of play at the Ricoh Arena
Coventry players celebrate their second goal to reinstate their lead over the Premier League outfit on Saturday afternoon