Mourinho fumes over decision to not award penalty in Manchester Derby
Man United boss also claims City were lucky during derby
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has cried foul over referee Michael Oliver's decision to not award a penalty to his side in yesterday morning's (Singapore time) Manchester Derby.
The Red Devils were 2-1 down when Ander Herrera went down in the box under pressure from City defender Nicolas Otamendi in the 79th minute.
The referee instead booked Herrera for diving, leaving Mourinho fuming and claiming it was a repeat of last year when he felt United should have had a penalty.
When you see Manchester City play, you expect Manchester City to score great goals, not to score two disgraceful goals.Man United boss Jose Mourinho
He said: "Exactly the same, you can speak about anything you want, you can bring any football theory, you can bring the stats, the ball possession, you can bring everything you want - but like last season, it is a huge penalty in a crucial moment of the game.
"But I also feel sorry for Michael Oliver because he had a good game, I would say a very good game, assistants the same.
"They came with the intention to make perfect work, which they almost did."
While Mourinho acknowledged that they were up against an excellent team, he also believes that his opponents had the rub of the green during the match.
Both of City's goals came from set-pieces, and United were also denied a late equaliser by City goalkeeper Ederson's superb double-save.
He said: "They're a very good team. I think they are lucky, they have had decisions in their favour... When you see Manchester City play, you expect Manchester City to score great goals, not to score two disgraceful goals.
"They are the last goals you expect to concede against a quality team like Manchester City, two very bad goals.... with rebound(s). (They were) incredibly lucky or unlucky, depending on (your) perspective.
"Yes, they had much more of the ball. Yes, they had that apparent control of the game but the biggest save is the double save of their goalkeeper and the biggest decision of the game is the unlucky decision of Michael (Oliver)."
The 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford saw Mourinho's team fall 11 points behind leaders City as the season nears the halfway mark.
The 54-year-old Portuguese said he "doesn't know" if they can still rein in their arch-rivals, who became the first team to win 14 straight EPL games within the same season.
"It is a significant distance," Mourinho said of City's lead, before being asked if his team could make it up. "I don't know. I know we can win next Wednesday (against Bournemouth). Win or lose or draw, I know that we can win next Wednesday.
"We can work and fight for it. That is the only thing I say.
"Match after match and every match, we are going to give everything, with our qualities, with our problems, that is what we do all the time." - WIRE SERVICES
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