The last two times the Potters have played in the Premier League on the Sunday after a Thursday night Europa League assignment, they have been beaten, going down 4-0 at Sunderland and 2-0 at Swansea. Having seen his team defeat Israeli outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv two days ago, manager Pulis is keen to halt the pattern when Stoke face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday - and is convinced the key is getting his players' heads right. "We have looked at the stats and it is a mental thing rather than a physical thing," Pulis said. "Our running stats in the games at Swansea and Sunderland were very good, but we didn't look as sharp as maybe we could have been. "So we are looking at that - but Arsenal would be tough whether we had played Thursday or just last Saturday." The Gunners have made a poor start to the season, but their form has picked up in recent weeks and Pulis is certainly not about to underestimate the task that lies ahead. "It will be tough - Arsenal have won five of their last six games," Pulis said. "They are on a bit of a roll and I think people have forgotten that. "In the team we pick, everyone will have to be on their mettle - if not, we will get beaten." Stoke have begun the campaign impressively, with the Sunderland and Swansea setbacks being their only losses in 16 games in all competitions so far. They are top of Europa League Group E, through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup and go into Sunday's game two points better off than Arsenal. The scene appears to be set for the Potters at least to claim their first point at the Emirates Stadium since their promotion to the top flight in 2008, but Pulis insists that while his players will relish the fixture, anything they take from it should still be regarded as a bonus. "We'll enjoy it at the Emirates," Pulis said. "There are five or six clubs in the Premier League where if you look at them and their structure and what they have got, the basis of their football club is miles in front of us. "Arsenal is one of those clubs where you look at them and you think anything we do there is a bonus. "It is a fantastic football club with a fantastic manager and great players, and we will enjoy going there. "Whether it is off the back of a European game or not, going to places like the Emirates, Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge is absolutely fantastic. "Four or five years ago, no disrespect, but we were going to places like Scunthorpe. "Now we are mixing it with some of the top clubs not just in England but in the world."
