Manchester City's Matija Nastasic (right) challenges Aston Villa's Christian Benteke during their English League Cup match at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England, on Tuesday. Aston Villa won 4-2. Manchester City is off to a rough start, winning just two of its seven matches this season and giving up 14 goals. Phil Noble / Reuters

Manchester City boss has argued with several other teams' coaches

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes he is being treated unfairly by his Premier League counterparts.

Mancini had a touchline row with Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert during City's 4-2 League Cup third-round defeat at Eastlands on Tuesday in the latest of a long line of managerial disagreements involving the City chief.

The Italian has rowed with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Everton's David Moyes, Stoke manager Tony Pulis and QPR boss Mark Hughes.

His argument with Lambert came after he remonstrated with fourth official Martin Atkinson when Joe Bennett fouled Gareth Barry.

The former Inter Milan coach thinks other managers treat him differently but can not explain why.

"I am tired of this manager because I didn't say anything to him," Mancini said. "I asked the fourth official if it was a yellow card without moving my hands.

"Some managers go to bigger stadiums and they don't say anything. I am tired of this, very tired.

"I am tired of their behavior and it's better that some managers shut up because I didn't speak with this manager. I asked the fourth official if it was a yellow card and I thought the referee had left his yellow cards in the dressing room.

"Every time that I say something they complain. I didn't say anything, but after, when they go for example Old Trafford, they never say anything.

"I don't know why. I am Italian but I don't know the reason. I didn't say anything to him, only with the fourth official."

Mancini's team has only won twice in its seven matches, which has seen it concede 14 goals.

The Premier League champion has also failed to win any of its past four matches and Mancini is sure about where his team's problems lie.

"We need to work with our defenders because they don't work well at this moment," he said. "It's clear there are four competitions to go for, but this is the only competition we didn't win and because of this we wanted to stay in.

"We are missing this cup and we are disappointed with this.

"We're not playing well and our play is not quick. We want to have one more touch every time and it's no good."

Mancini also confirmed City's England midfielder Jack Rodwell, who had been due to start the match, had sustained a groin injury in the warm-up.

City took the lead with Mario Balotelli's first goal of the season, but saw Gareth Barry's own-goal pull Villa level.

When Aleksander Kolarov fired in a free-kick, Villa replied again with Gabriel Agbonlahor's strike earning extra-time.

Six minutes into the extra period, Charles N'Zogbia scored Villa's third goal before Agbhonlahor added the fourth.

Villa manager Lambert has only seen his side win once in the Premier League since he took charge in the summer.

But the former Norwich boss feels it is making significant improvements despite losing 4-1 at Southampton at the weekend.

"It's a massive result for us and we were excellent right from the off," he said.

"For 45 minutes we played well on Saturday (against Southampton) and you get games where you can't put your finger on what went wrong.

"It was a huge effort from us here and we didn't deserve to go a goal behind.

"We showed character to come back twice and go on and win the game and we're delighted with the performance."

(China Daily 09/27/2012 page22)