The Blues manager was still shaking his head long after the final whistle having seen his side dominate for long periods, hold a one-goal lead at the break, and still come away empty handed after a 2-1 defeat.
However, the City chief remains supremely confident that all will be well in the chase for the Champions League slot.
“It is incredible how we lost that game,” he declared.
“I thought that after the first half it would be impossible for us to lose. We had many chances to win the game but in the end we defended too deeply for fifteen minutes and invited Everton to play long balls.
“If you don’t concentrate for 90 minutes or however long the game lasts then this can happen. We also have to learn that it doesn’t matter who scores the goals. Players have to be less selfish.”
Mancini admits he was hoping for three points from the trip along the M62 so that Tuesday’s game against Spurs would be less punishing in light of the looming FA Cup Final with Stoke.
“I don’t think we will have a problem with qualifying for the Champions League but Tuesday will now be a 100 per cent hard match,” he said.
It is not perfect to play Spurs so close to the Final but this is football and we have to get on with it
...Roberto Mancini
Mancini confirmed that the best skipper and leading goal scorer Carlos Tevez could hope for is a place on the bench on Tuesday evening.
Fellow hamstring victim Micah Richards may also return for that contest. Both missed out on the trip to Everton.
David Moyes, the Everton manager, admitted that his side had dodged a bullet.
“We showed great spirit but we were bossed in the first half and very fortunate to be only one goal down,” he concluded.
