Breaking News: Stoke City’s star player is the first Championship player to be sidelined from the game this year because of.

 

The pivotal player for Stoke City is the first Championship player to receive a yellow card ban.
Team news as Stoke City prepares to play Hull City in a Championship game aired on Sky Sports on Sunday

Ben Pearson will not play for Stoke City against Hull because he received his fifth caution of the year.

In a midweek draw with Huddersfield, Pearson received a yellow card for a second-half scuffle with Jack Rudoni while attempting to recover the ball for a throw-in on the halfway line. The 28-year-old has received a caution in four straight games and five times overall in his first seven league appearances.

The EFL officials are taking a stronger stance this season, and he is the first player in the division to receive five cards and receive an automatic one-game suspension. However, there are eight more players who are walking a fine line. Josh Laurent has received three yellow cards for Stoke in the Championship, compared to two each for Daniel Johnson, Jordan Thompson, and Luke McNally.

It is a setback for Alex Neil, who is trying to turn things around at the bet365 Stadium in a game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on Sunday at 12 p.m. Updates on the availability of other likely starters Ki-Jana Hoever, Andre Vidigal, Ryan Mmaee, and Enda Stevens are anticipated later today.

As he recovers from a quad injury sustained in preseason, Emre Tezgel will work to regain his match fitness with the junior teams, while Sol Sidibe has been absent from the squad for the last two games as well as a match with England youth due to tonsillitis.

Thompson would be ready to step in for Pearson in the defensive midfield position, but Neil might also second-guess his choice if Johnson, Laurent, Wouter Burger, or Bae Junho were available.

Callum Paterson of Sheffield Wednesday, Harry Winks of Leicester City, Jacob Greaves of Hull City, Jannik Vestergaard of Leicester, Joel Latibeaudiere of Coventry City, Josh Windass of Sheffield Wednesday, Ryan Manning of Southampton, and Sam Morsy of Ipswich Town are all on four yellow cards in the Championship.