Premier League: Stoke boss Mark Hughes responds to Garry Monk's claims

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes considers it to be 'unacceptable' for Swansea City counterpart Garry Monk to label one of his players as a cheat.

Monk was fuming at the final whistle on Sunday after seeing his side slip to a 2-1 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

He branded the award of a penalty to Stoke late in the first-half as ‘a disgrace’ and suggested that Victor Moses should have been punished for diving, ‘which is cheating’.

I heard him say that my player is a cheat, which is unacceptable in my view.

Hughes was offered an opportunity to respond shortly afterwards and feels an inexperienced Premier League boss was out or order in discussing the actions of a rival player.

He told Sky Sports: “I heard him say that my player is a cheat, which is unacceptable in my view.

“He’s obviously upset. We have to come here 20 minutes after the game and speak about what’s gone on and sometimes you have to bite your tongue. Maybe that will come from experience.”

While Monk was quick to point the finger of blame at the match officials, Hughes has his own gripes with referee Michael Oliver.

Stoke fell behind just past the half-hour mark when Wilfried Bony dusted himself down to convert from the penalty spot after being bundled over by Ryan Shawcross.

The incident penalised by Oliver occurred at a corner and Hughes feels his skipper has been unfairly singled out for grabbling with an opponent.

He said: “Challenges like that that Ryan’s made, I went into meetings with managers at the beginning of the year and referees were talking about it. I’m disappointed about it.

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“For whatever reason, Ryan Shawcross has been highlighted in terms of how badly he does pulling in the box, more than anyone else – which is complete nonsense, to be completely honest.

“Everybody in the Premier League is holding people at corners. The fact that it’s been highlighted is, maybe, in the back of the referee’s mind.

“I think he’s seen the lad go down quite easily. Bony is a big lad, he’s 15/16 stone of pure muscle and he goes down too easily in my mind.

“I can see the point Swansea are making in regard to the one that was given to us but, at the end of the day, Victor is running at pace in the box, you see (Angel) Rangel’s arm come across him and that’s Victor impeded, in my view. It doesn’t take much in the box for someone running at pace.”