Stoke assistant manager Dave Kemp expects Stoke to come up against a buoyant Blackburn side at Ewood Park on Monday.
Potters preparing for tough test against Blackburn
Stoke assistant manager Dave Kemp expects Stoke to come up against a buoyant Blackburn side at Ewood Park on Monday.
Rovers will enter that contest still buzzing from their shock 3-2 victory over title-chasing Manchester United on New Year's Eve.
They remain firmly entrenched in a Premier League basement battle, but some of the storm clouds that have been hanging over the club have started to lift.
Stoke are aware that they can take nothing for granted against Steve Kean's side and are readying themselves to face a team that has every intention of making 2012 a year to remember.
Kemp said: "It was always going to be a tough game, as they all are, and it will obviously boost their confidence.
Ready
"They have had a good holiday period, getting a point at Liverpool and winning at Old Trafford, but it's up to us to go there and deal with it.
"We'll rest ourselves up, get ourselves ready and make sure we're ready to go."
One man hoping to feature against Blackburn is Cameron Jerome, with the striker having stepped off the bench to win a penalty and notch his first goal of the season in Stoke's 2-2 draw with Wigan on Saturday.
"He made the impact we wanted, he caused some problems and obviously the goal was a bonus," said Kemp.
"Unfortunately he had a similar opportunity (in the closing minutes) and had a heavy touch that took it away from him, or he may have scored another one."
