Phil Jagielka claims referee made sarcastic comment about Everton’s defending

Phil Jagielka has accused Martin Atkinson of
arrogance after alleging the referee made a
sarcastic comment about Everton’s defending when
challenged over Kevin De Bruyne’s controversial
goal in the Capital One Cup semi-final .

The Everton captain was visibly incensed after
Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester City , where
the dominant hosts levelled the tie on aggregate
through De Bruyne’s finish from a Raheem Sterling
ball that had gone out of play.

 Jagielka’s anger was fuelled by Atkinson’s failure
to keep track of the ball and what he has said was
the referee’s attempt to shift the blame when
confronted over the mistake. It has been suggested
the match official made other controversial
comments to Everton players during the game.

“I tried to [speak to the referee about the incident]
but he just told me that our defending was
brilliant,” said Jagielka, the Everton captain. “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.”

Jagielka was close to the incident – as was Atkinson
– and said he was left “pretty speechless” by the
overall performance from the match officials.
“It was a weird one,” he said of City’s second goal.

“Obviously Raheem has had a big touch and,
playing football you pretty much guess that is going
out, and then instead the ball has been fizzed back
across and it has gone in the goal. It did happen
quite quick but the way things have gone in the last
few games, people can’t see offsides and people
can’t see the ball out of play. We are obviously
feeling a bit annoyed at some of the decisions we
have got recently.

“It is really hard. You know your luck is obviously
not in when the deflection goes in for the first goal
and then as the game is heating up and they are
piling on the pressure, some decisions happened
that still bemuse me now – throw-ins given for I
don’t know what. The ball was out of play, I’m
pretty speechless. I am not saying it is the best we
have played but we certainly didn’t get anything
for what we put in there.”

The England international added: “It was still a
great cutback and a great finish but the replays
show it is not just an inch or so out. You expect the
officials that are supposed to be of a high standard
to spot that but obviously it wasn’t one of those
nights.”