Everton captain Phil Jagielka launches stunning attack on ref after Manchester City defeat

Phil Jagielka has branded Martin Atkinson 'arrogant' as Everton's fury towards the referee mounted following their controversial exit from the Capital One Cup.

Everton's captain – like his manager Roberto Martinez – was furious that Kevin De Bruyne's goal, which gave Manchester City a 2-1 lead and levelled the semi-final on aggregate, was allowed to stand after Raheem Sterling ran the ball out of play before crossing.

Jagielka tried to speak with Atkinson – who has history with Everton – immediately but the England international claims the match official gave him a sarcastic reply and said he 'just told me that our defending was brilliant'.

The official has been at the centre of a row with Everton before, after he sent Jack Rodwell off in a Merseyside derby in October 2011. That red card that was later rescinded.

After Wednesday's game, Martinez was outraged by Atkinson's decision and insisted the complexion of the tie changed dramatically from that moment and, as he reflected on the defeat, Jagielka said he was 'speechless' that such a high-profile mistake had been made.

'The replays show it is not just an inch or so out,' he said. 'You expect the officials that are supposed to be of a high standard to spot that but it obviously wasn't one of those nights. I tried to (speak to Atkinson). He just ​told me that ​our ​defending was brilliant.

So it is difficult when things start going the wrong way and they become a little bit arrogant – but unfortunately that is the way it goes.

'If he made a decision wrong or he didn't see it that is what happens. Sometimes when you go and speak to people and, in such big games, get the answers you get, it is that little bit more frustrating.'

He added: 'It is really hard.

 You know your luck is obviously not in when the deflection goes in for the first goal and then as the game is heating up and they are piling on the pressure, some decisions that still bemuse me now – throw-ins given for I don't know what.

Unfortunately the ball was out of play, I'm pretty speechless. I am not saying it is the best we have played but we certainly didn't get anything out for what we put in there.

'We've not stopped. You keep going, it was still a great cutback (from Sterling) and a great finish (from De Bruyne).'

There was another incident that left Jagielka bewildered. In the build up to the attack from which City scored the second goal, Atkinson awarded a foul throw to City when Everton defender John Stones had not even thrown the ball in by the halfway line.

'Obviously he saw what he saw – or he didn't see what he didn't see – but the one that baffles me is the throw-in that gets given the other way,' said Jagielka.

'He told me that was a foul throw. I don't understand how it can be a foul throw if you've not actually thrown the ball.

'It is likely taking a corner out of quadrant and not kicking it, and it being a foul corner. It has been a frustrating. This has contributed to us losing the game but it is not the be-all and end-all. But as far as luck goes, we are massively frustrated.