Hughes confirms Shaqiri thigh pull

Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri sustained a thigh injury in Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Southampton.

Shaqiri was replaced in the first half, by which time Stoke were already 2-0 down after Graziano Pelle headed in an early corner and then beat Jack Butland with a curling shot. 

Marko Arnautovic scored shortly after half-time but Stoke slipped to their first defeat in five matches despite Sadio Mane’s late red card after colliding in the air with Erik Pieters.

“Shaq looks like he’s pulled his thigh,” manager Mark Hughes said of the Switzerland international.

“We’ve got to check on Ryan Shawcross because I think he was struggling in the last five minutes of the game so hopefully that’s just a little bit of tiredness and that’s not significant, because obviously he’s only just come back, but we’ll have to check him come Monday. 

“I thought he did okay, I thought he was fine.

“Pelle and Long have got good energy and a good understanding and they would have caused anybody problems today, they’re a decent pairing.”