News from Clayton Wood as Stoke City prepare for away match at Cardiff in the Championship

Luke McNally has been ruled out for two or three weeks in a blow as Stoke City fight to stay in the Championship.

McNally missed last weekend’s clash against former club Coventry City after reporting a thigh injury late in training on the eve of the game. Scans have since shown the extent of the damage and he is out for Saturday’s trip to Cardiff, the following weekend’s home game against Middlesbrough and probably an away match at Leeds United the following Tuesday. He could be touch and go for a game at Preston North End on March 9 too.

The 24-year-old centre-back, on loan from Burnley, has played more minutes in the league than anyone else in the Stoke squad this season and leaves Steven Schumacher with decisions to make regarding his back line.

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Schumacher has moved to a 3-4-2-1 to start his last two matches, with Ki-Jana Hoever, Ben Wilmot and Michael Rose lining up against Coventry. He has mostly played a 4-3-3, however, and switched back to that as he hunted for an equaliser.