Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has hit out at Hull City counterpart Steve Bruce for defending Maynor Figueroa's challenge on Stephen Ireland.

Hull defender Figueroa escaped a red card at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday after his tackle left Stoke midfielder Ireland needing stitches in his leg.

Bruce claimed that Ireland was also lucky to stay on the pitch following an 'even worse' challenge on Stephen Myler earlier in the game, but Hughes has accused his former teammate of doing the wrong thing by sticking up for Figueroa.

"I think Steve has fallen into the trap of trying to defend the undefendable," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "He has seen the two challenges and I don't think there is any comparison whatsoever. I don't think Steve has done himself too much credit with his opinions of the events that day.

"It is easy to defend your players, and I will say I am guilty of it too at times. On this occasion, I don't think Steve needed to defend him. It would have been better for him to have come out and said it how it was."

Stoke continue their Premier League campaign on Wednesday when they host Everton.