Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has come to the defence of his star striker Jermain Defoe after he clashed with Nicolas Otamendi in Manchester City's 1-0 win over the Black Cats on Tuesday.
Frustrated Black Cats
Sunderland fans were once again left frustrated as their side fell to yet another defeat, with the single goal from Sergio Agüero proving the difference.
The hosts had a number of chances fall to Lamine Kone, Defoe, Billy Jones, Wahbi Khazri, Yann M'Vila and Jan Kirchhoff but were left without what would have been a crucial point - or even three.
Not in character
The frustration from the stands at the Stadium of Light seemed to boil over onto the pitch as an accidental flailing arm from Defoe in the second half caught Otamendi.
The Argentine was left furious by the incident, accusing the Englishman of deliberate elbow, but Allardyce defended his player afterwards, saying it wasn't in Defoe's character.
Allardyce told Sky Sports that Defoe would not elbow a player "on purpose" and proceeded on a rant about foreign players, saying they make a "big fuss" about small things - adding that's "what they do".
He continued, saying that making a fuss is not their fault but instead "in their nature" and it is how they are "brought up." The manager believes that they react in a "more volatile way" to such incidents in comparison to English players.
Lenient refereeing
Allardyce didn't stop there as he then turned his attention to the referee, Stuart Attwell, who he believes was favouring Manuel Pellegrini's side.
Allardyce said that Atwell was "so lenient" with the opposition that it was "untrue" - with it taking "12 or 13 fouls" before he "booked one of their players".
He added that Sunderland only "committed four" in comparison before they were warned with a yellow - Jones the man booked in the 59th minute - which made him believe that the official was "extremely lenient with City".