Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has insisted that he understands the supporters' frustrations after watching his side fall to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham United this afternoon.

Goals from Mark Noble, Marko Arnautovic and Diafra Sakho condemned Stoke to a heavy home loss against a West Ham side who began the day in the relegation zone, with the fans voicing their displeasure at the performance and some calls for Hughes to be sacked.

The Potters are now only one point and one place above the relegation zone themselves following a run of five defeats in their last six games, although Hughes believes that the crowd were right behind the team until they conceded their second goal.

"That's understandable. Up to 75 minutes before the second goal, I thought the fans were absolutely magnificent, they were driving us on, totally behind us," he told reporters.

"Like ourselves on the bench, as soon as the second goal went in it took the wind out of our sails, you get a little bit anxious, a little bit angry then you get a response but for the most part I thought they were great."

Stoke take on fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion next weekend.