Martinez 'hurt' by controversial call after Everton's Capital One Cup exit
Manchester - Everton manager Roberto Martinez complained that his team had been unjustly denied a place in the Capital One Cup final after a controversy-flecked semifinal loss to Manchester City.
Everton was 3-2 up on aggregate in Tuesday's second leg at the Etihad Stadium when Kevin De Bruyne drew City level in the 70th minute, despite Raheem Sterling appearing to have taken the ball beyond the byline before cutting the ball back for his Belgian teammate.
(Courtesy: The Telegraph)
Six minutes later, De Bruyne crossed for Sergio Aguero to head in the decisive goal in a 4-3 aggregate win, setting up a meeting with Liverpool in next month's final, but Martinez felt the damage had been done earlier.
"It was a clear decision - the ball is out of play," said Martinez. "The second goal, I felt that decision affected too much the outcome of us reaching Wembley or not. That is why it hurts.
"You don't mind if Manchester City find a way of being outstanding and scoring three goals. It is very difficult to find an explanation in the dressing room for the players, to find a reason we have been knocked out.
"That is hurtful and unfair. We want to make sure we pay our fans back and take them to Wembley this season."
Related: Aguero's header books City's spot in Capital One Cup final with Liverpool
Asked if the incident emphasised the need for video technology to be introduced to the sport, Martinez responded: "My question is, do we need technology to get that right?
"For me, that action is so clear. I would expect an international or Premier League linesman to get that call right. I would expect a top referee to get his angle and his position right."
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Everton extended its advantage in the 18th minute of the return leg when Ross Barkley left Nicolas Otamendi and Fabian Delph for dead before steering a shot into the bottom-left corner.
But Fernandinho swiftly equalised with a deflected shot, and after Aguero and David Silva had hit the post, the 66th-minute introduction of De Bruyne tipped the balance of the tie in City's favour.
The Belgian's night was to end in painful fashion, however, as he had to be stretchered from the field after his right knee buckled in a challenge with Ramiro Funes Mori.