Romaine Sawyers struggled for form and playing time as West Bromwich Albion were relegated from the Premier League last season, resulting in him being loaned out over the summer as he was deemed surplus to requirements.

The 30-year-old joined Stoke City on a season-long loan in August and got off to a bright start with three goals and one assist from his first 16 Championship appearances, but a serious thigh injury in December caused his Britannia stay to turn sour

Sawyers tore a muscle in his quadriceps in Stoke’s 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on December 5 and was ruled out for three months at the time. He returned in late-February as an unused substitute before starting in March. The 30-year-old has featured in only two of Stoke’s last seven league games, however, so he’s fallen down the pecking order since his injury.

The Potters’ form fell off a cliff in Sawyers’ absence and hasn’t improved since his return. Stoke have won only three games since the victory over QPR, suffering eight defeats and drawing six times. City are miles away from the relegation zone but also miles away from the playoffs, so they look set to stay in mid-table mediocrity.

Sawyers, after his bright start, could now end the season on the periphery at an out-of-form club.

In other news, Kyle Edwards’ West Brom exit went bad