London (AFP) – Mark Hughes was sacked as Stoke manager just hours after his struggling side’s shock FA Cup third round defeat at minnows Coventry on Saturday.

Hughes was already on the brink of being dismissed prior to the 2-1 loss at fourth-tier Coventry following a miserable run that left the team languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.

The limp nature of Stoke’s FA Cup exit proved the final straw as Hughes was axed three hours after the final whistle at the Ricoh Arena.

“Stoke City can confirm that the contract of manager Mark Hughes has been terminated with immediate effect,” a statement on the club’s Twitter account read.