A shocking image has emerged showing the extent of Stephen Ireland's leg injury following a tackle that Stoke City manager Mark Hughes said could have ended the midfielder's career. The photograph, published in the Sunday Telegraph, reveals a large gash on Ireland's leg before it was stitched up.
The injury occurred during Stoke's 1-0 win over Hull City on Saturday, when Ireland was on the receiving end of a challenge from Hull defender Maynor Figueroa. The tackle went unpunished by referee Neil Swarbrick, who allowed play to continue. Hughes strongly criticised the official, arguing Figueroa should have been sent off.
Hughes told the BBC: 'The tackle on Stevie Ireland could have finished his career. Why the referee hasn’t given a straight red for that, I have no idea. The referees have got to get their act together.' He added that Ireland required 'something like 12 or 15 stitches' and faces a risk of infection.
The Stoke manager rated the challenge worse than the one by Burnley's Ashley Barnes on Chelsea's Nemanja Matic the previous week. Meanwhile, Peter Crouch scored the winning goal a minute after coming off the bench, though Hull manager Steve Bruce claimed the effort should have been ruled out for offside.
