Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini was left asking why Liverpool's Glen Johnson stayed on the field after a tackle on Joleon Lescott in the League Cup semi-final, first leg here Wednesday.

Premier League leaders City came into this match without Vincent Kompany as the defender started a four-game ban following his red card for a two-footed tackle on Nani during last weekend's FA Cup defeat by Manchester United.

And they ended up losing again after Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 13th minute at Eastlands.

But what angered Mancini was the way Johnson escaped any punishment for a two-footed sliding challenge on Lescott the Italian felt was far worse than anything Kompany did against United. "I want to see the tackle by Johnson," Mancini told the BBC. "I thought that was worse."

Gerrard said he was surprised by Mancini's comments, given how the manager had criticised United's Wayne Rooney for trying to get Kompany sent off. "It surprises me because he had a go at Wayne Rooney. Now he has had a go at one of ours."