Stoke City vs Hull City: Mark Hughes fumes at tackle that 'could have ended Stephen Ireland's career'

Stoke 1 Hull 0

Stephen Ireland received 13 stitches in his leg following the challenge (GETTY)

A gruesome image has emerged showing Stoke City midfielder Stephen Ireland’s injured leg shortly after the tackle his manager Mark Hughes said could have ended the player’s career.

Just before the interval in Stoke’s 1-0 Premier League home win over Hull City on Saturday, Ireland was on the receiving end of a rash challenge from Maynor Figueroa and he was subsequently substituted at half-time.

After the game, Hughes revealed Ireland had sustained a calf injury that required “something like 12 or 15 stitches” – and a photograph has shown the huge gash in the 28-year-old Irishman’s leg before the stitches went in.

The tackle that had caused the damage went unpunished, with referee Neil Swarbrick allowing play to continue. The official and his assistant were condemned by Hughes, who said Figueroa should have been shown a straight red card.

Hughes said: “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, really.

“Hopefully his leg doesn’t get infected, but that is the risk over the next couple of days.”

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman admits his team must rebuild their waning confidence as they try to cling on to their dream of European qualification after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion. “I was always realistic,” he said. “I never thought we’d qualify for the Champions League because a lot of big teams normally fight for that in the table.”

Maynor Figueroa was not even booked for his challenge on Ireland (GETTY)

Burnley manager Sean Dyche suggested his side’s high-profile week after the row over Ashley Barnes’ challenge on Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic could have been a factor in a “flat-footed” performance as they lost 1-0 at home to Swansea. Dyche said: “I don’t think there was anything between the two sides. Both teams played to win, but there was a little bit of flatness to both sides and maybe that was down to the furore all week.”

Glenn Murray is once again enjoying his football at Crystal Palace after he came close to an exit earlier in the season. The 31-year-old scored twice in the 3-1 win at West Ham on Saturday – before picking up a red card for two bookable offences.