Watford v Stoke City: Latest team news

Shawcross suffered the latest in a series of back problems when he picked up a strain towards the end of last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Southampton, a match Shaqiri in which suffered a thigh issue.

A late decision will be made on Erik Pieters, who has been nursing a calf complaint, but Phil Bardsley, out recently with a similar problem, should be able to return. The chance of Charlie Adam making his first-team comeback is unclear, with an Under-21s run-out having left him with some groin soreness.

Provisional squad: Butland, Haugaard, Wollscheid, Teixeira, Cameron, Muniesa, Bardsley, Imbula, Whelan, Adam, Ireland, Afellay, Arnautovic, Bojan, Walters, Joselu, Crouch, Diouf.

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Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores says he will have to make last-minute decisions on “three or four” of his players including Odion Ighalo before Saturday’s Barclays Premier League game with Stoke.

The club’s top goalscorer came off in the Hornets’ 2-1 win against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend after suffering a knock and has been struggling with a muscular injury in training.

Miguel Britos and Joel Ekstrand are both unavailable due to hamstring injuries.

Provisional squad: Gomes, Paredes, Holebas, Behrami, Capoue, Watson, Ighalo, Deeney, Abdi, Nyom, Amrabat, Anya, Prodl, Guedioura, Suarez, Pantilimon, Cathcart, Jurado.