Ryan Shawcross is desperate to get back into the Stoke City first team.

Shawcross has not played since being red-carded on February 27 for the challenge that left Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey with a double leg break.

He has since spent a week away with England following his first international call-up for the seniors, but then returned to Stoke to serve out his ban before injury struck.

"I've missed the last five Stoke games and that's been tough," he admitted to The Sentinel. "I'm desperate to get back, because it's been frustrating not playing after serving the ban.

"The injury happened when I was a bit over-enthusiastic when I got back to training at Stoke.

"I went into a tackle and caught my foot, which caused the injury."