Mancini in a rage as hopes expire

Roberto Mancini was too angry to speak after seeing Manchester City's title hopes all but extinguished on Saturday.

City had the chance to put pressure on Manchester United ahead of the leaders' meeting with Reading last night but fell behind to a Leon Osman goal and, after Steven Pienaar was sent off, the champions were denied a clear penalty before conceding a late second to Nikica Jelavic.

Referee Lee Probert gave City a free-kick apparently for Marouane Fellaini handling a Carlos Tevez shot well inside the area. But Mancini will presumably be just as disappointed with his team's ragged and lifeless performance and the Italian headed down the tunnel before the final whistle.

Since United extended their advantage at the top of the table to 12 points with a 2-0 win over Everton in February, a day like this was guaranteed to come at some point.

It was not the kind of unravelling that led to them being trounced 3-1 at Southampton last month but it was utterly lifeless and rudderless from a team who were supposed to retain some belief that they could retain their title.

Asked what had upset Mancini, first-team coach David Platt said: "Just the whole afternoon. There's a frustration and an anger at the way the game has gone."

Seven days on from a humbling 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat that left Everton reeling and David Moyes's side facing an uphill battle to secure European football, City were always going to be facing a testing afternoon but they simply could not match the desire of the home side.

A visiting fan, dressed in the full away kit, attempted to warm up with the City players before the game and as Mancini later looked behind at his bench to see how he could change things, he might have been tempted to send one of his coaching staff to find the supporter, who would probably have been willing to cover more ground than Edin Dzeko.

"Our performance wasn't at it and we got outplayed in large spells by Everton," Platt said. "When you do have moments in the game when you can get back into it, it doesn't go for you.

"Nobody's been shouting from the rooftops saying we are chasing Manchester United down. They've got a significant points advantage over us, even if we'd won. We

have an obligation to try and win football matches and be professional."

That was something they failed to fulfil for a pivotal opening hour at Goodison Park, although the hosts had little to show for their early graft other than a Kevin Mirallas effort that was ruled out for offside. Again standing in for the injured Tim Howard, Everton goalkeeper Jan Mucha denied Carlos Tevez and Dzeko as the visitors produced a hint of a threat.

But they trailed just after the half-hour when Seamus Coleman clipped a pass infield and Osman's left-foot shot flew into the top corner with Joe Hart motionless.

Victor Anichebe thumped over from close range shortly after and Tevez went close just before the break, during which Mancini was deep in conversation with Probert as they headed down the tunnel at half-time.

City did not improve particularly after the interval but were given a major opportunity when Pienaar, who had been booked for an earlier challenge on Gareth Barry, was shown a second yellow card for catching Javi Garcia on the thigh.

Unlucky not to get a penalty when Fellaini handled, the visitors finally flickered and Mucha, who claimed not to read his mail before being given 250 hours of community service for driving while banned last week, was unbeatable at the back.

The Slovakian denied Tevez and James Milner with a fine double save before blocking from Pablo Zabaleta after David Silva worked an opening. As City threw men forward in added time, Fellaini broke away and fed substitute Jelavic, whose shot looped up off Gael Clichy and over Hart for his first league goal since December.

It was enough to send Mancini down the tunnel before the final whistle although he did shake Moyes by the hand outside the changing rooms.

"We were rubbish last week but we've been very good all season and this is the best Everton team I've had in 11 years," Everton manager Moyes said. "I would have been disappointed and surprised if we hadn't got the reaction. The players were great and we gave them a right good run for their money.

"We've got a tough run-in and we've got to play a lot of the top team but hopefully people will realise we've not gone away. We're still there and last week people thought we'd gone away."

After being jeered off following the Wigan defeat, Everton's players left the field to a raucous Give It Up by KC and the Sunshine band. It was a message City seemed to have taken on board already.