Albion boss Chris Hughton has backed Shane Duffy to avoid a World Cup hangover.

Duffy returns to club duty against Stoke at the Amex on Monday evening after missing out on next summer's finals in Russia with the Republic of Ireland.

He scored early on before Denmark replied with five goals in Tuesday's exit from the play-offs in Dublin.

Hughton, who played for the Republic of Ireland, said: "There is no doubt there will be huge disappointment but Shane has come through the games having scored and improved immensely with the Irish team. He is a big player for them and he has come out of it with a lot of credit.

"I think he'll be fine. You don't get time. You've got to go straight back into games. He has got to focus on doing as well as he has done this season.

"With professional players comes the ups and downs of winning games, losing games, getting knocked out of competitions, getting promotion, just missing out.

"There are so many highs and lows that you have got to be able to cope with them all."

The Argus: Duffy, defensive partner Lewis Dunk and keeper Mathew Ryan, fresh from qualifying for the World Cup finals with Australia, are likely to face at some point 6ft 6ins Peter Crouch (above right).

The 36-year-old ex-England marksman has been scoring goals as a substitute for Stoke.

"I know Peter very well," said Hughton. "He was in my group when I was a coach at Tottenham and I'm really delighted to see the career he's had. Starting him or using him as they are now, as a real impact player that can affect games coming off the bench, he has a big value.

"He is never going to be the quickest, because of his size, but he's always had good, technical skills and, of course, a great ability in the air."