Mark Hughes Believes Simon Mignolet Should've Been Dismissed in the Potters' Defeat to Liverpool

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes feels Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was lucky to stay on the pitch following his mistimed challenge on Mame Biram Diouf which potentially cost his side an equaliser just five minutes before half time. 

The wild challenge sent the Senegalese striker flying as he was bearing down on the Reds penalty area, however despite Mignolet being the only man standing between the ball and the goal, the Belgian keeper was only shown a yellow and the resulting free kick was deflected wide.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, as reported by the Liverpool Echo, Mark Hughes was far from impressed with the referee's decision to only show Mignolet a yellow card. 

Lamenting the decision going against his side, Hughes said: "That's the key moment in the game from our point of view.

"I just don't understand why the referee and the officials couldn't see that for what it was - a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

"If the 'keeper doesn't wipe Mame Diouf out, it's a tap-in into an empty net and, at that point, it's 1-1 and game on.

"It came at a time when we were in the ascendancy I felt, asking questions of them."

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Hughes also had questions to ask of the build-up play leading towards Liverpool's opener, whereby young England defender Joe Gomez appeared to take the ball out of play before crossing to compatriot Dominic Solanke in the Stoke box.

He added: "We obviously went down to a poor goal from our point of view, which was a little bit contentious as well because we felt the ball had gone out. I'm not sure if it did, but usually as a home team you get the benefit of the doubt in those situations.

"I don't think we got the benefit of the doubt from the officials on too many occasions tonight, to be perfectly honest.

"It's frustration. The one thing you want from the referees and officials is to get the key decisions, the match-defining decisions right. In my view, he didn't unfortunately tonight."

The 3-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool on Wednesday night leaves Stoke in a precarious position, only three points above West Ham United in the relegation zone and with the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League.