Roberto Mancini has criticised his defence for conceding a last-minute winner from a counter attack in the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.

City missed the chance to go three points clear at the top of the table following Manchester United's defeat to Blackburn.

The Italian manager suggested that his defenders were not listening to his instructions from the touchline, resulting in his side conceding courtesy of Sunderland's Ji Dong-Won.

"I am disappointed that we conceded the goal because a strong team cannot concede a goal like this, because we conceded a goal on a counter-attack which is very dangerous," said Mancini.

"I know football and for this reason in the last 15 minutes I continued to call Vinny (Kompany) and (Joleon) Lescott to say 'stay there, stay there' and don't leave this space and I think I nearly lost my voice because of this.

"I understood that it was dangerous because we continued to attack and at the same time we wanted to attack with 10 players and this is impossible."

City host Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.