Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has rejected suggestions that he swore at fourth official Mike Dean following his dismissal during the heavy defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
The Welshman was sent to the stands after reacting angrily to a yellow card shown to Marko Arnautovic, who was accused of diving on an afternoon to forget at the bet365 Stadium for the hosts.
Hughes refused to drop his case and continued to remonstrate towards Moss but, while admitting that he deserved to be given his marching orders, he has categorically denied aiming insults at the official as he plays down the prospect of further action from the Football Association.
"I did not swear," he is quoted as saying by The Independent. "I was sent off before I engaged with Jon Moss. So let's put that to bed. I came out of my technical area. I was a bit upset. The assistant referee had not flagged for a foul [on Jon Walters] and the referee then thought it was the right decision to book Marko when he was taking evasive action.
"They were two decisions I thought should have gone our way. So I reacted in a forceful manner and came out of my technical area, which this year you are not allowed to do and sometimes you forget that.
"Mr Moss, bless him, decided that warranted a sending-off, which by the letter of the law it did. So I have to hold my hands up. It was a foul on Jon Walters and Marko had to hurdle the challenge, he was not diving."
Stoke prop up the Premier League table after registering just one point from the first 12 on offer this term.
Daniel Lewis
