Stoke City boss Michael O'Neill thought Preston North End substitute should have been red carded

The Potters had defender Harry Souttar sent-off in the 87th minute for bringing down Alan Browne when through on goal.

O'Neill was unhappy that a challenge from North End substitute Brad Potts on Nick Powell went unpunished.

Potts had only been on the pitch a short time when he slid in on Powell and after referee James Linington waved play on, PNE created an opening which saw Tom Barkhuizen have a shot saved.

Asked in the post-match press conference about the red card in the game, O'Neill replied: "The Harry Souttar one or the one on Nick Powell?

"The Nick Powell one is a red card, it's a poor challenge. He followed through, his studs are up. The referee got that one wrong.

"The Souttar one, it's a red card. There is not a lot of contact. Browne is very clever, it's a great run from him from midfield, and because he cuts across Harry, his right leg and Harry's left leg make contact. He goes down.

"By the rules and the letter of the law, the referee got that one right."

O'Neill continued: "It was a poor challenge (from Potts), it was a red card. It wouldn't have been a red card 10 years ago but it's a red card now.

"As opposed to us playing against 10 men for the last few minutes of the game, we were playing with 10 men once Harry went off."

Potts had lost his place in the starting XI to skipper Browne but joined the action along with Sean Maguire in a double substitution.

The pair played up front together in the last quarter of an hour having replaced Emil Riis and Ched Evans.

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