LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said his team was furious in the players' room as they continued to return Liverpool's controversial first goal in a 3-1 defeat at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to have touched the ball with his hand inside the area in the sixth minute, but instead of a City penalty, the home side scored the lead 22 seconds later after a massive Fabinho shell from outside the area.
The video referee discussed the shot and stopped playing a little before the goal was awarded to the Reds winning and nine points ahead of the Citizens in the struggle for the league title.
"We saw the incident again in the players' room after that," Gundogan told reporters. "For me it was a clear penalty. But if you ask a Liverpool player, he will say, 'You may be counted, you may not.'"
"We suffered a bit to deal with it, and unfortunately the opponent scored the second goal shortly after."
City are trying to become the first team since Manchester United in 2009 to win three league titles in a row but are now fourth.
Last season City recovered in the second half of the season to compensate for Liverpool's lead by 10 points, and Gandogan wants to repeat the brilliance of his colleagues.
"This has to be accepted, but there is still a long way to go. Last season in January we were a bit far away and we managed to make up."