Mancini clashes with Gerrard

The pair clashed twice, the second particularly fractious, with Gerrard annoyed at Mancini's response to a late tackle by Glen Johnson on Joleon Lescott. However, after Mancini had completed a round of interviews, they had a further, more cordial discussion, although the City chief was clearly not a happy man.

"Steven Gerrard can say what he wants," said Mancini. "I said what I think. That is what I am used to doing. It is not important what Steven Gerrard or the other players have said."

Mancini is still annoyed at the four-match ban skipper Vincent Kompany must serve following his controversial dismissal against Manchester United at the weekend.

The City manager was adamant his captain would succeed in his appeal, claiming that, in 30 years in the game, he had never seen anyone get sent off for the kind of tackle on Nani referee Chris Foy deemed worthy of a red card. And Mancini felt an even greater sense of injustice this evening as he felt Johnson's tackle on Lescott was even more questionable.

"It was worse," he said. "This tackle was worse. Gerrard came to me and said I said something. It was not for Johnson. It is for the tackle. This tackle was worse than Vinny's. Everyone can see it."

The incident completed a bad night for Mancini and his team, who suffered back-to-back home defeats for the first time since February 2008.

Kompany's stand-in Stefan Savic had a particularly difficult time, struggling to contain Liverpool forward Andy Carroll and conceding the penalty that allowed Gerrard to ram home the winner when he caught Daniel Agger.

That Savic is expected to retain his place for the Premier League trip to Wigan next Monday hardly inspires confidence, although Mancini is looking on the bright side.

"Savic needs to get experience," he said. "It is normal. He is young. Against a striker like Carroll maybe he could have some difficulties. But in the second half it went better."

Source: PA

Source: PA