Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has said that he expects to take a phone call from referee chief Mike Riley following Wes Brown's dubious sending-off against Stoke City this afternoon.

Brown was shown a straight red card by match official Kevin Friend for a first-half challenge on Charlie Adam as Stoke claimed a 2-0 victory at the Britannia Stadium.

"I hope, maybe I am the first foreign manager to get a call this week from Mike Riley," Poyet told Sky Sports News after the game.

"I know that Steve Clarke took a call last week. It happened at a key moment when we were trying to come back. We were then put down to ten without explanation.

"If we take every danger out of the game, then what do we do? You must then give a penalty for Asmir Begovic's challenge on Steven Fletcher in the second half."

Sunderland find themselves bottom of the Premier League table following the defeat.