Report: Stoke City defender Erik Pieters dropped due to breaking club curfew

A report has claimed that Erik Pieters was dropped for Stoke City's 2-1 defeat to Everton because he broke a club curfew.

The left-back was due to start Saturday's Premier League game at the bet365 Stadium but was reportedly axed after pictures emerged on social media of him out on Friday night.

According to The Mirror, pictures circulated of Pieters at a VIP club opening with his wife, reality TV star Nermina Pieters-Mekic, on Instagram, before they were taken down.

The report goes on to state that Potters players are forbidden from entering licensed premises within 48 hours of a match, and new manager Paul Lambert had to make an example of Pieters.

Stoke currently sit three points adrift of safety in the bottom three of the Premier League table.