Mark Hughes: 'Stoke City will miss talismanic Mame Biram Diouf'

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has joked that he hopes to see Senegal suffer an early Africa Cup of Nations exit in order to have Mame Biram Diouf back as soon as possible.

The 27-year-old striker netted twice in the Potters' 2-0 victory at home to West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.

He could now miss up to three weeks of club football due to international duty in Equatorial Guinea next month, and Hughes admits that Diouf - who has five Premier League goals this season - will be a big miss.

"[I am] a little bit [frustrated]," he told reporters. "Because obviously he scored two today and strikers can be a bit streaky.

"Once they get a goal they invariably get them in the next two or three games. Hopefully that will be the case while he is still with us.

"We are going to miss him, but hopefully they'll get knocked very quickly so he won't miss many games."

The tournament kicks off on January 17 and finishes up on February 8, with Senegal paired in Group C with Ghana, South Africa and Algeria.