CHELSEA assistant manager Ray Wilkins has lavished praise on Tony Pulis and his squad of players ahead of tomorrow's eagerly anticipated FA Cup quarter-final meeting at Stamford Bridge.

The former England international, who won the competition with Manchester United in 1983, will be hoping to help inspire Carlo Ancelotti's side to a second successive triumph in the competition, but admits he is fully aware of the 'quality' City possess.

"We want to do really well, after thinking back to last May the joy we experienced in the dressing room at Wembley, it's fantastic," the former FA Cup winner told Chelsea's official website.

"These guys play the game to win trophies and we want to win the FA Cup badly, but we play against a Stoke side that has had a fantastic season up to now, and they play with a lot of quality as well.

"I am sure a lot of us were thinking it might be Manchester City we were playing against on Sunday, but credit to Stoke and we're in for a very tough game.

He adds: "They have quality, what Tony Pulis has done has been quite exceptional and they've played with a lot of style at times.

"Yes we'll have to defend very bravely when these long throws and set plays come in but that's part and parcel of the game and we'll have to be up for that."