Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes that Liverpool's players influenced the referee to send off Mario Balotelli during the sides' 1-1 draw at Anfield.

The Italian was dismissed after he was shown a second yellow card for an apparent elbow on Reds defender Martin Skrtl.

However, Mancini believed that the sending off was unfair.

"For me it was not a yellow card the second one, he didn't do, no, for me, no," he said.

"I saw on the pitch and from the bench it was difficult to see but now I've seen it. I don't think that the referee wanted to give a yellow card but the Liverpool players said something. Now it's finished and we can't do anything."

The draw has kept City five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.