Stoke's performance 'unacceptable' says angry Hughes

LONDON (Reuters) - Stoke City manager Mark Hughes was upset with his team's performance in conceding four first-half goals in defeat at Tottenham on Sunday.

Bottom of the Premier League early in the season after a 4-0 home defeat by Spurs, Stoke had improved to ninth place before the weekend but an identical result at White Hart Lane left Hughes fuming.

"We need to get up to speed and understand that wasn't acceptable," he told Sky Sports.

"We were short of the levels we're capable of. Tottenham will test you, they're a very good team, but we need to do much better in key moments of the game, be much more aggressive.

"We didn't do that and the manner of the goals is really disappointing because it's too easy.

"Harry Kane scored three goals but it's the easiest afternoon he'll ever have in terms of scoring a hat-trick.

"The game's over at halftime.

"We can't keep taking a step back before we move forward again. So it'll be a long week ahead of us."

(Reporting by Steve Tongue, editing by Neil Robinson)