Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes referee Mike Jones could have solved an issue on Monday night very differently.

The match official brandished a red card after Blues midfielder Cesc Fabregas kicked a ball at Chris Brunt just before the half-hour mark of the champions' 3-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Fabregas acted mindlessly as Jones tried to diffuse a situation between Diego Costa and Gareth McAuley but manager Mourinho believes his player should not have been sent off.

"With experienced referees, stable, big personality, in control of the game, I think [they use] words," he told Sky Sports.

"Especially in a game where you play for nothing, and when it was just nothing special, it was a ball without any aggression, I think one of the top referees would resolve the problem with words.

"But Michael decided to give a red card, which I disagree with completely, but he's the referee."