Mark Hughes not concerned by Ryan Shawcross injury layoff

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has revealed that he expects Ryan Shawcross to return to fitness in the coming days.

The 27-year-old has sat out the Potters' first three games of pre-season, including the 6-0 win over Wrexham on Wednesday evening, with a recurrence of a back injury that saw him miss seven matches earlier this year.

However, speaking after his side's impressive display at the Racecourse, Hughes provided a positive update on the fitness of skipper Shawcross.

"We hope Ryan will get some game time this weekend," the Welshman told reporters. "He's suffering a minor back injury but should be fine."

Stoke head to Brentford for their latest pre-season outing on Saturday, looking to make it three wins on the bounce.