Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has claimed that midfielder Stephen Ireland will be facing a lengthy injury layoff following a tackle that left him needing stitches.
The former Manchester City man was substituted at half time of Stoke's 1-0 win over Hull City following a challenge by Maynor Figueroa that went unpunished.
A bemused Hughes told BBC Sport after Saturday's game at the Britannia Stadium: "We have lost Stephen for any number of weeks.
"He is in a bad way. He has a slice on his calf and needed 12 or 15 stitches. He came in at half-time, rolled his sock down, and everyone was taken aback by the severity of the gash."
Ireland was making only his 13th appearance of the season for the Potters.
No Data Analysis info
