Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross will again be on the sidelines for the Potters Sky Bet Championship clash at home to Millwall.

After returning from a long-term injury last month, centre-back Shawcross recently sustained a calf problem and will now miss a third successive game with the issue.

Boss Michael O’Neill has confirmed Shawcross is “the only real absentee” for the Bet365 Stadium visit of the Lions.

After allowing Cameron Carter-Vickers, Badou Ndiaye and Peter Etebo to leave so far in the transfer window, O’Neill has stated there is “another one or two” on the periphery who could also depart.

Midfielder Connor Mahoney is pushing for his first league start since the end of November after impressing Millwall boss Gary Rowett with goals in his last two appearances.

Mahoney came off the bench to score in a 3-1 win over Luton on New Year’s Day, and then struck a penalty in a 3-0 FA Cup victory over Newport last weekend after being recalled to the starting line-up.

Goalkeeper Frank Fielding came through 90 minutes of an Under-23s win over Colchester on Tuesday and could be on the bench, as he ends five months out with a quad injury sustained in the opening day victory over Preston.

Ryan Leonard is also closing in on a comeback from a knee injury that has sidelined him since early October. Fellow midfielder Ben Thompson is not due back until March after recently undergoing ankle surgery.