Mancini: Balotelli did not deserve red card

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has said Mario Balotelli should not have been sent off in yesterday's 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

Vincent Kompany gave the visitors the lead in the 31st minute before Joleon Lescotts deflection from Charlie Adams' shot gave the Reds an equaliser.

City are now five points clear at the top.

Mancini said he remained happy with his team’s position despite seeing them drop points for only the second time this season yesterday.

The Barclays Premier League leaders were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Liverpool after striker Balotelli was sent off for two bookable offences.

Balotelli, introduced as a 65th-minute substitute, had been on the field just 11 minutes when he needlessly brought down Glen Johnson to earn his first yellow card.

He received his second seven minutes later when he was deemed to have caught Martin Skrtel with his arm.

It was the latest in a long list of Balotelli misdemeanours but Mancini had sympathy.

Mancini said: “It is not correct, the [second] yellow card. I do not agree with this yellow card. I think every time Mario does something many players provoke him.”

Mancini exchanged words with Balotelli as he left the field but the manager said his compatriot “was disappointed for a red card and he was angry”.

He also played down reports Balotelli had damaged the dressing room door in his frustration.

Mancini said: “I don’t know this. If he damaged the door he pays – like his house!”

The result was still enough to restore the five-point advantage at the top City began the weekend with and Mancini felt his players had survived a stern test of their credentials.

Mancini was also pleased with the character shown by his players after their shattering Champions League loss to Napoli on Tuesday.

The Italian said: “Five points after this weekend, I think that is good. We wanted to win this game but it is not always possible to win.

“I am happy also because in the last 10 minutes we had a big problem with 10 men. I think all the players played very well because after Naples it was really difficult.

“Also the Liverpool players were more fresh than us. This was an important game for us to understand the season.”

City went ahead after 31 minutes at Anfield when captain Vincent Kompany’s glancing header from a David Silva corner flew in at the far post.

Yet the visitors had little time to celebrate as a long-range Charlie Adam shot took a huge deflection off Joleon Lescott to wrong-foot Joe Hart and level the scores just two minutes later.

Both sides had further chances but Liverpool began to claim the upper hand in the second half and finished strongly after Balotelli’s dismissal.

It needed fine saves from Hart to deny Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in the final minutes to preserve City’s point, although Silva also had a late chance for Mancini’s men.