Everton Captain Phil Jagielka has branded referee Martin Atkinson as being arrogant, after he received a sarcastic reply from the ref to his request for an explanation as to why Manchester City’s decisive second goal was not disallowed during the game that saw his team’s controversial exit from the Capital One Cup.
Everton were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City during Wednesday night’s game. But it was after Atkinson failed to keep track of the ball during the second goal scored by Kevin de Bruyne, when the ball appeared to go out, before it was cut back by Raheem Sterling, that incensed both Jagielka and his manager Roberto Martinez.
The England international tried to talk to Atkinson, who has a controversial history with Everton going back as far as 2010, but claims he was met with a sarcastic remark about brilliant defending.
“I tried to [speak to the referee about the incident] but he just told me that our defending was brilliant,” said Jagielka after the match.
“It is difficult when things start going the wrong way and they become a little bit arrogant, but unfortunately that is the way it goes.
“If he made a decision wrong or he didn’t see it that is what happens, but sometimes when you go and speak to people and, in such big games, get the answers you get it is that little bit more frustrating.
“City played well. They hit the post and all sorts of stuff like that. I am not stupid enough not to realise that, but it is just frustrating. It’s a bitter pill to swallow when you get in the changing room and realise the goal that changed the game was so far out.”
The Blues missed out on securing an all-Merseyside Capital One Cup final after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Manchester City after Wednesday night’s semi-final second leg.