Stoke City manager Mark Hughes believes Jose Mourinho deliberately creates controversial headlines in order to take the pressure off Chelsea's playing group.

The Blues have endured a horror start to their Premier League title defence and currently sit fifth on the competition ladder.

However, despite another disappointing loss to West Ham on the weekend, Mourinho himself has stolen much of the limelight this week after he was sent to the stands following an altercation with referee Jon Moss.

Mourinho has since been charged by the Football Association following the incident, which occurred during half-time of Saturday's fixture at Upton Park.

Hughes said he believes the drama created by the Portuguese manager was a deliberate ploy to take the focus off his players' poor performance.

"I think sometimes - and we're all guilty of it - maybe if you've had a bad result you'll try to change the focus to something that has happened in or around the game rather than it being on the result itself," Hughes explained, as quoted by Sky Sports.

"I think that is what he does - he tries to take the pressure off his players by highlighting a refereeing issue or something else in the game. It has been done by him on occasions as it has by us all."