Stoke City suffer another injury set-back just minutes into Hull City clash
Tyrese Campbell limped off the field after just 13 minutes for Stoke City against Hull. The 23-year-old attacker was asked to lead the line against Hull after creating a number of chances against Huddersfield in midweek, but he injured his thigh in a collision with Cyrus Christie as he attempted to sneak behind the defense.
Alex Neil resorted to summer signing Andre Vidigal, who had missed the previous four games after suffering an ankle injury in the closing minutes of Millwall’s defeat. In attack, he is assisted by Sead Haksabanovic, who is on loan from Celtic for the season, and Wouter Burger, who pushes forward.
Injuries to important players have plagued Stoke in the early stages of the season, with Ryan Mmaee (hamstring) and Enda Stevens (calf) still out, and Ben Pearson serving a one-match ban for picking up five yellow cards. Ki-Jana Hoever has returned to the bench after missing the previous two games due to injury.
Campbell departed the field with the score at 0-0 and the Potters looking for a breakthrough as they seek their first Championship victory in five outings. Campbell has made four starts and one substitute appearance this season, with his only goal coming against Rotherham in the Carabao Cup.
Young Stoke City fan remembered with shirt tribute
Team-mates of a 14-year-old boy who died from a rare skin disorder have lined up at a Stoke City match to pay tribute to him.
Rafe Lawton, from Talke, Staffordshire, died in July after he was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Players from Kidsgrove Saints & Alsager FC, with shirts containing the Stoke fan’s name, stood by the edge of the pitch before the game with Hull City.
Supporters also applauded in the 14th minute of the home match.
In February last year, Rafe, who also played for his school, fell ill after developing a skin rash and was later admitted to Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool.
The NHS says Stevens-Johnson syndrome, sometimes called toxic epidermal necrolysis, is a rare condition that can be caused by taking certain medicines.
After he was admitted to hospital, Rafe was unable to breathe without a ventilator and his parents made the decision to turn off his life support machine 18 months later.
At the game on Sunday, which Stoke lost 3-1, the boy’s father, Chris Lawton, was presented with a shirt that said “Rafe we’ll be with you always”.
BBC Radio Stoke presenter Phil Bowers described the tribute before the match as a “very emotional moment”, after explaining that the Bet365 Stadium had “come together in memory of Rafe”.
He added that members of the teenager’s team “with white shirts with Rafe and number 7 written on the back” were lined up alongside the edge of the pitch.
The applause before the game came from Stoke supporters and “from the Hull City fans as well, which is a fitting tribute to a young man taken from us very, very young”.
