Manchester City manager Mark Hughes refused point-blank to condemn his players or the referee after his side lost a two-goal lead in defeat to Liverpool.
Instead, he was at pains to stress the positives in a performance that brimmed with attacking intent but was undone by defensive naivety.
"We were in great shape at half-time and I thought we had played some of the best stuff we had produced all s
eason and that includes the 6-0 win over Portsmouth," reckoned the Blues boss.
"I was impressed by the way we caused them problems in their defensive third but you always expect a response from a top four side and we got one.
"The disappointing thing was that we had talked about not letting them back into the game at half-time."
City were not helped by the 67th-minute sending-off of Argentinian full-back Pablo Zabaleta who was almost the home side's best player in the opening half but who saw red for a two-footed tackle on Xavi Alonso half-way through the second period.
The right-back will now miss three games through suspension and though Hughes felt referee Peter Walton's decision to be a harsh one, he will not be appealing the sending-off.
"Obviously it changed the course of the game," lamented Hughes. "It was always going to be hard at ten versus 11.
"We had to try to hang on but we gave away goals through consecutive errors and those are the things we have to work on.
"Having said all that, I don't think we deserved to lose the game.
"We showed a few frailties that we can possible put right in January and we have to be more resolute in seeing games out but overall I will not criticise the players. They gave everything and I think the fans could see that and appreciate it.
"In respect of the sending off, I always look at the response of the opposition and I don't think there was any clamour from Liverpool claiming it was a bad tackle."
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