Stoke assistant Mark Bowen is surprised Albion boss Chris Hughton has not been linked with the vacant manager's job at Everton.

The No.2 to Mark Hughes at Monday night's Amex visitors is a big admirer of his "very much underrated" former Spurs team-mate.

Bowen said: "I played with Chris at Tottenham Hotspur a long time ago, and he is a good friend of mine - I know his family really well.

"I think he is very much underrated as a manager, and it really surprises me when I don't see his name linked with other jobs that crop up - like the Everton one for example.

"If you look at his CV and what he has done, he's got a knack of not just coaching, but getting the best out of players also, which is more important these days."

Bowen, speaking to Stoke's official club website, added: "You've got to have a connection with players, not just on the training pitch but off it as well - to get the best out of them and he clearly does have that.

"They've got 11 points from their last six games, and are unbeaten in four, so we're under no illusion to how well they're going to be prepared, and what we're coming up against on Monday."