City had 19 shots, struck the bar twice and wasted several opportunities only to be stung by a breakaway goal four seconds from the end of added time.
“We deserved to win this game,” said the City boss. “I think it’s incredible that we didn’t take three points today.
“I don’t know how many chances we had but last season we had exactly the same situation where we lost the game with virtually the last kick of the match.
“We were very unlucky today but we have to put this game out of our minds because we play Liverpool in 48 hours’ time.”
Mancini was deflated yet philosophical about the manner of Sunderland’s victory, adding that the Blues need to learn when a point is better than nothing at all.
“We were trying to win this game and did everything we could,” he said. “But there are days when you have to realise that sometimes things don’t go your way and no matter how hard you try, it’s just not going to be your day.
One point would have been better than nothing and maybe we have to accept sometimes that it is better to take something rather than nothing
...Roberto Mancini
“I think the goal was offside but we didn’t get the decision and now we have to move on.
“This is a big opportunity missed because we could have gone three points clear of United, but we have to re-focus now and put this defeat out of our minds because we have another important game in just two days.
“I think we are having a bit of bad luck at the moment because we had so many chances to score, but we have ended with a defeat. We will look to respond quickly against Liverpool.”
