Stoke's rock Shawcross unconcerned by lack of England recognition

While Mark Hughes has transformed Stoke into one of the Premier League’s great entertainers, Ryan Shawcross is the steel to accompany the silk.

He has been crucial in the rapid progress made under Hughes and it seems ironic that he would probably walk into the current Manchester United team, eight years after leaving Old Trafford after growing frustrated at a lack of game time.

Shawcross was imperious against his former club on Boxing Day, proving that Sir Alex Ferguson’s fears were well-founded when he wrote in his programme notes that allowing him to leave could come back to haunt them.

He certainly frightened United’s tepid attack with another colossal performance that underlined his own development as one of England’s best centre-halves, but you have to wonder if Roy Hodgson is even taking any notice.

Hodgson’s trips to the Britannia Stadium can be counted on the fingers of one hand and Shawcross is not expecting a recall while the current England manager remains in office.

On his international debut, against Sweden in 2012, he was spooked by a rampant Zlatan Ibrahimovic and that one performance as a substitute appears to have made up the minds of Hodgson and his staff.

Yet against United Shawcross looked far more convincing than Chris Smalling and Phil Jones and has only conceded two goals in 677 minutes of football since returning from a back injury.

Whisper it quietly around the Potteries, but you have to wonder why the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have not come in for him.

“He’s been excellent for a long time and he was outstanding against United,” said Hughes. “Our crowd are a bit biased on occasions but you heard them and what they were singing [Shawcross for England]. It’s credit to him – he just gets on with it. He’s parked that side of his ambition. He just wants to do well for us. If it happens, it happens.

“It’s not a decision we can influence. All Ryan can do is just play well. Have I spoken to Roy? That would be telling. In passing, maybe.” Shawcross is settled at Stoke and adored by supporters, and knows Hughes is building something formidable – with home wins over Jose Mourinho (twice), Manuel Pellegrini and now Louis van Gaal this season.

Bojan’s close-range goal, after an appalling headed back pass from Memphis Depay, and Marko Arnautovic’s powerful finish set them on their way to a comfortable win over fragile opponents.

It tells you everything about United’s performance that Stoke moved into second gear for the second half and still had the cigars out. An expected comeback never materialised, despite a marked improvement when Wayne Rooney was introduced at half-time, and Stoke are now only three points behind United.

A top six finish is certainly possible and for all the focus on Leicester City this season, Hughes’s work at Stoke should not be overlooked.

Shawcross said: “I think we outplayed them. I think we played the better football, we had more chances, more shots and at times when Bojan has turned on the ball and you have [Xherdan] Shaqiri and Arnautovic, it’s fantastic football to watch.

“It’s twice now we have played against top teams and we have out played them. It could have been a bigger goal difference.

“We showed against Manchester City, who were supposedly the better team, how well we played so when United came here it was the same sort of attitude. We are a top team and we need to do our stuff.

“Now we are beating top teams with style, which is good. We have still got that aggression and tough to beat attitude, but with our front three or four we have some very talented lads.”