The champions have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League this season - and that’s without their self-styled baddie Diego Costa.
Stoke manager Hughes says he just loved the way Costa, no stranger to rubbing up opponents the wrong way, knew where to draw the line.
Chelsea have picked up three red cards and 10 yellows already as they set about defending their title.
Add to that Pedro’s sending off in the Community Shield and it’s a worrying stat for Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.
Hughes prepares his Stoke side for the visit of the champions, wondering if they could do with a tutorial from their Atletico Madrid-bound striker.
Hughes, who also played for the Blues, said: “I think they’ve got more sendings off in the opening five or six games as in the whole of last year.
“I think last year they were good at taking things up to a line and not crossing it. And maybe they have just got that wrong.
“If you look at Costa, he was brilliant at taking it up to the edge, then stepping back, and it affected opposition teams.”
“Maybe they haven’t quite got that ability in terms of getting the dark arts right on spec.
“I used to enjoy watching him play because he had an edge to him and the reaction of other players to him was really interesting.
“That’s a skill in itself. You can take it right to the line and then step back and get other people into trouble because they haven’t got that skill to stop where they should do. He was great at it and that’s why I like watching him play.”
Even without Costa, Chelsea have proved they still pose a major threat in attack.
And Hughes fears he could be without four of his centre-half options. On-loan Kurt Zouma is ineligible to face his parent club, with the injured Ryan Shawcross, Geoff Cameron and Kevin Wimmer all set to be sidelined.
