Hughes fumes as controversial penalty causes City crash
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes took out his frustrations on
referee Steve Bennett after his side crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Wigan.
City's takeover by the billionaire-backed Abu Dhabi United Group has
made Hughes's club arguably the richest in the world, but unfashionable
Wigan and cut-price talisman Amr Zaki cut them down to size at the JJB
Stadium on Sunday.
Zaki, a loan signing from El Zamalek, outshone Robinho and company as
he hit the winner from the penalty spot after City defender Vincent
Kompany had cancelled out Antonio Valencia's stunning opener.
But Hughes felt hard done by as Wilson Palacios was fortunate to win
the decisive spot-kick when he tumbled in an exaggerated fashion after
nicking the ball ahead of Javier Garrido.
"We are disappointed because we feel the referee has played an
outcome in the result of the game," Hughes said. "There were a number of
key decisions which we felt he got wrong and once Wigan got in front
they were difficult to break down. "The two goals we conceded today were
an outstanding strike from their player for the first one and penalty
which we felt was really harsh. Their player had looked to gain an
advantage and dived theatrically.
"I thought initially maybe the referee had given it because he was in
a poor position but he wasn't so he feels he was right to give that
decision."
Hughes also felt City should have had a penalty of their own just
before half-time.
Richard Dunne fell under pressure from Emile Heskey from a City
free-kick but Bennett waved away their appeals. "Yes I think it was (a
penalty). We tried to get an opinion on that decision but we were told
it was a coming together of bodies and in the end he gave a free-kick
for handball," Hughes said.
"When you see it on the videos Richard Dunne was clearly impeded in
the box and it should have been a penalty."
Wigan boss Steve Bruce disagreed with his former Manchester United
team-mate and felt that Bennett's decision was a correct one.
Bruce praised desire shown by his players who constantly chased City
and put them under pressure when they were in possession.
"Sometimes you purr at what some of them produce and that is the case
here," he said. "Zaki is going to get the headlines and rightly so. But
people like Lee Cattermole, Emile Heskey and Valencia were superb. "When
you analyse it from one to 11, although they are dodgy numbers these
days, they produced a magnificent performance. "Because of their
appetite and their attitude and also their ability we deserved to win
the game in my opinion - there was no fluke about it."
It was Wigan who started brighter and their first sight of goal came
from a short corner as Zaki's shot flashed over the crossbar. The hosts
kept up the pressure and City fell behind in the 16th minute.
Olivier Kapo's free kick was hacked away to Valencia 30 yards from
goal and the Ecuador winger took a touch before driving a superb
swerving shot past Joe Hart. Robinho had a glorious chance to equalise
moments later when he ran onto Stephen Ireland's clever pass, but the
former Real Madrid star shot wide.
City didn't have to wait long to draw level. In the 22nd minute,
Palacios made a hash of clearing Elano's free-kick and Kompany was
perfectly-placed to volley home from close-range.
WIGAN, England, Monday (AFP)
|