Pep Guardiola pointed the finger at the officials after his Manchester City side suffered yet more misery against Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah’s 76th-minute strike consigned the champions to a first Premier League defeat of the season in a raucous Anfield atmosphere on Sunday.
City had a goal from Phil Foden disallowed eight minutes after the break for a foul by Erling Haaland on Fabinho after referee Anthony Taylor overturned his initial decision having been advised to view a replay by VAR Darren England.
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And Guardiola was unhappy with the lack of consistency shown by the officials compared to their handling of the rest of the game.
“This is Anfield,” said the City boss. “The referee spoke with my assistant coaches and said ‘I’m not going to make fouls, and I will be clear’. All game it was play on and play on and play on. Except the goal. After, it was not play on.
“The ref can decide 'I'm going to whistle all the actions' but he decided not to do it and then after he did it. We didn't lose the game for that because nobody knows what would have happened but we had momentum and control and scored a goal but could not have it and then after we lost by a mistake.
“We didn't follow the transition that we know every time Alisson plays quick. Kevin (De Bruyne) didn't follow, Joao (Cancelo) lost the duel – it is always difficult against Salah because he uses his body so well – and this is what we have to learn for the future for tight games like against Liverpool and Champions League games.
“They shouted, we shout more. Otherwise, here in this stadium you go. The game was calm and then after the goal was disallowed and after they scored a goal, it was the real Anfield.”
Asked if referee Taylor was influenced by the crowd, Guardiola said: “No. When I arrived here it says 'This is Anfield'. Many years we come here and we lost because we made a mistake and played one of the best teams in the world.
“They have played two Champions League finals in a few years so I admire them a lot. The margins are so tight. Champions League when we lost 3-0 here, many times. Today is play on, play on, play on. It's okay for both sides. Jurgen and I were upset but it was fine. But when we scored a goal it was not play on. This is the truth. This is the reality.”
City have now lost their last three games against Liverpool having been beaten 3-2 in the FA Cup semi-final last season and 3-1 in the Community Shield in July.
Guardiola, though, was delighted with the performance of his team. “The way we play, the performance we gave here with the courage was fantastic,” he said. “Lately, the FA Cup semi-final and the Community Shield, we were so soft.
“We had four or five or six or seven chances at Anfield in front of the keeper. It was a tight game as they always have been and then one mistake. At that level, we cannot concede the mistakes we have done and in October it will be good for the future.
“They shout and we have to shout more. They run and we have to run more. Otherwise, it is impossible in this stadium. We handled it but football is football.”
The City boss also accused Liverpool fans in the Main Stand of throwing coins at him after City's goal had been ruled out.
He said: "Next time they will do it better. They didn't get me. They tried but didn't get me. They got it on the coach years ago but not this time."
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