ALBION manager Gus Poyet will start preparing his squad today for a “very new and big challenge” against Stoke.

The players resume training after their cutomary Monday off, with Poyet planning a normal build-up for the Seagulls’ first appearance in the fifth round of the FA Cup for 25 years at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

As normal, that is, as it can be in trying to deal with Premier League opposition and Rory Delap’s torpedo-type throws.

It was quite handy in that respect to have Hartlepool as the opponents at Withdean on Saturday.

Poyet revealed: “We did a little bit on defending throw-ins last week because Hartlepool scored against us in the first game from a throw and they were using it a lot, so we practised it.

“That will be reinforced, thinking about what we could face from Stoke. Like any team, they have got some very good strengths and a few weaknesses. We will be paying attention to that.

“We don’t know the team they will play. They have changed it for the Cup but even if the players change they play the same way.

“Of course, if Delap plays they have a better throw-in but they have got others who can take long throws. It is part of their game, not only about one player.

“We are going to have to be very good, aggressive and powerful, dealing with situations we are not used to so it’s going to be a very new and big challenge for us.”

Poyet spent Sunday, as he does every week, studying footage of the opposition. That will have included Stoke’s last home game against Sunderland, when all three goals were scored from close range from set pieces, and Saturday’s injury time defeat at Birimingham.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis sprang a couple of surprises in defence against Birmingham, which could have an impact on the line-up Albion will be facing.

Marc Wilson, used until now as a midfielder, played at right-back in place of Andy Wilkinson and Danny Pugh started his first Premier League game at left-back since scoring against Arsenal almost a year ago at the expense of Danny Higginbotham.

Pulis said: “Danny has good legs and we wanted a bit more quality out wide. We left two defensive full-backs out and put in two forward-thinking full-backs.

“Andy Wilkinson has looked a little bit tired in the last couple of weeks and had played with a few injuries.

“Marc’s quality on the ball was obviously very good and I just wanted to see how he got on after seeing him play at right-back when he was at Portsmouth. Danny and Marc were brilliant for us.”

Pugh, loaned out to Preston in the Championship before Christmas, is confident Stoke can bounce back from the Birmingham defeat which has left them in ninth place, six points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand.

He said: “I don’t think it will take a lot to lift us. It’s a massive game against Brighton in the FA Cup, so we will certainly have to pick ourselves up for that one.”

Bournemouth will cut Albion’s lead at the top of League One to goal difference with a win at struggling Bristol Rovers tonight, although they will have played three matches more than the Seagulls.