LONDON: Roberto Mancini complained about his fellow Premier League managers after a touchline row with Paul Lambert during Manchester City’s surprise 4-2 League Cup home defeat on Tuesday.
The two exchanged angry words in the second half after Mancini complained to the fourth official about a tackle by Joe Bennett on Garetharry.
Mancini, irritated already by City’s stuttering start to the season, said: “I am tired with these managers. I didn’t say anything to him. There are some managers it is better to shut up. I asked only if there was a yellow card – without moving my hands – with the fourth official and he comes over to me.
“I thought perhaps the referee had forgotten his yellow cards in the dressing room. I am very tired with the behaviour of some of these other managers.”
Lambert dismissed Mancini’s complaints, saying: “It wasn’t a spat. It was nothing. I respect him [Mancini] as a manager and an ex-player. This was a massive result for us. The way we played was excellent.”
Perhaps Mancini wanted to deflect attention from his side’s third-round exit, having reached the semi-finals in two of the last three seasons.
Despite making 10 changes from Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, Mancini still picked a team with combined value of well over £150m even with teenagers Abdul Razak and Denis Suarez in the line-up.
Twice threw away leads given to them by Mario Balotelli and then Aleksandar Kolarov after Villa old boy Gareth Barry’s own goal had made it 1-1. Gabriel Agbonlahor took the tie to extra time and added a second after Charles N’Zogbia had put Villa ahead for the first time.
Mancini admitted: “We didn’t play well and we had some unlucky moments but I think Villa deserved to go through.”
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