Stoke City manager Nathan Jones has explained that he was forced to substitute Oghenekaro Etebo during his side's 3-1 loss to Swansea City on Tuesday because the central midfielder was in danger of picking up a red card.

Against the Swans, the Nigeria international, who was booked in the 34th minute for dissent, was replaced in stoppage time, with the outcome of the game all but decided.

Etebo was shown a straight red card against Derby in November which saw him miss three successive games, and has been yellow carded seven times this season in all competitions.

''He has to keep his discipline because any mistimed tackle and we could have had him sent off too,'' Jones told  reporters at the post-match press conference.

''That’s why I brought him off late on when I thought the game was done and we couldn’t afford another sending off.

''He’s frustrated because we weren’t playing the way we would like or the way we have been playing lately but we need to be better than that and we will be.

''It’s a difficult one but they were better than us.''

Following their 12th loss of the season, the Potters occupy the fifteenth position on the table with 51 points from 41 matches.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : stokecityfc.com