Mark Hughes admits his Stoke City side need to swiftly sure up after a hour start to the new Premier League season.

The Potters were beaten 4-1 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, conceding four goals in a league match for the third time in their past four matches.

"We have ambitions this season and, if this run continues any longer, we won't be able to achieve them," said Hughes.

"We need to turn this round very quickly. We haven't really got going yet.

"We've been ninth in the Premier League in the last three years, and we spoke about being better than that.

"We're giving ourselves too much to do. Confidence is damaged after the last few results, and you can see that in some of the players' play. A number of them are lacking form.

"Collectively we need to be better. We can't keep conceding easy goals like the first two."

James Tomkins, Scott Dann, James McArthur and Andros Townsend all scored for Palace before Marko Arnautovic pulled one back for bottom-placed Stoke in injury time.