Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has taken aim at referee Mark Clattenburg after he awarded Tottenham Hotspur a penalty in a 2-1 win for Spurs at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.
The opening 45 minutes saw Spurs and Manchester City largely cancelling each other out, with the lion's share of the action being in the midfield area and goalscoring chances few and far between.
The second half was a different affair from the off though and when Spurs were given a penalty in the 52nd minute for a Raheem Sterling handball from a Danny Rose cross, the game took off.
Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot and Manchester City instantly searched for the equaliser.
It did come, arriving in the 73rd minute when a Gael Clichy cross found an unmarked Kelechi Iheanacho and he powered a shot into the back of the net.
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Spurs however took the lead again, against the run of play, when Erik Lamela threaded a ball through for Christian Eriksen, who drilled the ball past Joe Hart to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Manchester City were beaten and Pellegrini believes that his side did play better football than Spurs.
"Disappointed because we didn't play badly. We played better than Tottenham. They didn't have chances to score, only when we took the risk they scored", he said on Sky Sports.
And Pellegrini claims that referee Clattenburg also cost Manchester City in their 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane earlier in the season, taking aim at the official.
"Unfortunately for us we had the same referee as in the first game against Tottenham and they scored two offside goals.
"The penalty today decided the game. The shot hits the back of Sterling, his elbow very slightly, and I don't think the referee can decide the game in that way.
"I think that action in a very close game was absolutely decisive."
