sport

HUGHES UNHAPPY WITH PENALTY DECISION

Zaki scored his fifth goal of the season.

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes was left frustrated after a contentious penalty decision saw his side slip to a 2-1 defeat to Wigan in their Premier League clash at the JJB Stadium.

Antonio Valencia had given the Latics the lead with a spectacular 16th-minute strike from distance before Vincent Kompany's close-range finish from an Elano free-kick pulled the visitors level five minutes later.

But Wigan's winner in the 34th minute came after Javier Garrido was deemed by referee Steve Bennett to have fouled Wilson Palacios inside the penalty area.

The decision seemed debatable with Garrido having made minimal contact with Palacios but Amr Zaki sent goalkeeper Joe Hart the wrong way from the resulting spot-kick.

Hughes said: "We are disappointed because we feel the referee has played an outcome in the result of the game.

"There were a number of key decisions which we felt he got incorrectly and once Wigan got in front they were difficult to break down.

"The two goals we conceded today were an outstanding strike from their player for the first one and penalty which we felt was really harsh.

"Their player had looked to gain an advantage and dived theatrically.

"I thought initially maybe the referee had given it because he was in a poor position but he wasn't so he feels he was right to give that decision."

Hughes also felt City should have had a penalty of their own just before half-time.

Richard Dunne fell under pressure from Emile Heskey from a City free-kick but Bennett waved away their appeals.

"Yes I think it was (a penalty). We tried to get an opinion on that decision but we were told it was a coming together of bodies and in the end he gave a free-kick for handball," added Hughes.

"When you see it on the videos Richard Dunne was clearly impeded in the box and it should have been a penalty."

Wigan boss Steve Bruce disagreed with his former Manchester United team-mate and felt that Bennett's decision was a correct one.

"I've seen the incident on the television and for me it was a penalty," Bruce explained.

"I know it was slightly exaggerated by Palacios but he has got the ball and then there has been contact from their player after.

"He's drew the foul - for me it was a penalty but it was deserved.

"We don't seem to get many to be honest but there was never any question who was going to take it because he wanted to score a goal."

Bruce was keen to praise the hunger and desire shown by his players who constantly chased City and put them under pressure when they were in possession.

"Sometimes you purr at what some of them produce and that is the case today," he added.

"Zaki is going to get the headlines and rightly so. But people like Lee Cattermole, Emile Heskey and Valencia were superb.

"When you analyse it from one to 11, although they are dodgy numbers these days, they produced a magnificent performance.

"Because of their appetite and their attitude and also their ability we deserved to win the game in my opinion - there was no fluke about it."

Heskey revealed he was enjoying being paired with Zaki, despite a problem with the language barrier.

"When you are playing football it is more than talking, it is telepathic," said the England international about his relationship with his non-English speaking team-mate.

"Communication is difficult when you try to explain some stuff but he has done brilliantly since he came here, scoring five league goals."

Heskey was also relieved the team recorded their first home win of the season.

"It is massive for us. We looked at table this morning and we were staring at the relegation [zone], although it is early in the season," he added on Sky Sports.

"You always want to pull away. Everyone around us was winning or drawing games.

"We stuck in there and got three points we deserved

"Towards end of last season this is where we picked up most of our points."