Soccer: Stoke midfielder Allen doubtful for Manchester City clash due to head injury

REUTERS - Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen is a doubt for Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City after the Wales international sustained a head injury in Monday's 1-0 loss to Ireland in their final 2018 World Cup qualifier.

Allen was helped off the pitch in the first half at Cardiff after being involved in a collision with Ireland's David Meyler and James McLean, who went on to score the match-winning goal to end Wales' hopes of reaching the World Cup finals.

British media reports said Allen suffered a suspected concussion and Stoke assistant manager Mark Bowen said the 27-year-old had been given extended leave until Thursday and would be assessed upon his return.

"Joe is an early doubt, but we are still hopeful on him for the weekend...," Bowen told reporters on Tuesday. "We didn't see any real need to get him in this morning, so fingers crossed he is ok and available for the game on Saturday.

"There is protocol to follow with injuries of this nature, which we will of course follow - the doctor will go around later today to see him, but he will come back in on Thursday and we will assess him then."

According to FA guidelines, players who suffer a suspected or confirmed concussion are not allowed to return to play for at least six days after the injury.

Bowen also said captain Ryan Shawcross had yet to recover from a back injury, with no clear timeline for the 30-year-old's return.

Defender Bruno Martins Indi is back in training and on-loan striker Jese has returned to the squad after missing Stoke's previous game against Southampton on compassionate grounds, Bowen added.

(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)