Petr Cech surprised by decision in Manchester City defeat

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has admitted that he was surprised by the refereeing decision during his side's 3-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. The Gunners had a glimmer of hope of securing a draw after they found the score sheet midway through the second half.

However, their chances of securing a draw soon diminished after the Citizens popped up with the third goal of the game, which was visibly offside by the naked eye. Both David Silva and Gabriel Jesus were on the wrong side of the Gunners' defence, but the linesman adjudged the goal to be correct.

Following the game, Cech admitted that the decision killed his side's chances of earning a hard away point, he said, "At 2-1 we got back into the game and we were in it. We had time to search for the equaliser but the third goal makes a huge difference. I can't comment on the penalty because of my angle, but the third goal, I was surprised. David Silva looked far behind everybody but the referee has a better view than me. Referees have a difficult job to do. I don't know if he got it right or wrong but that goal made the difference."

As a result of the defeat, the Gunners are now 12 points adrift of table-toppers Manchester City, and their Premier League challenge looks more or less over unless they build up momentum during the festive period. Arsene Wenger's side host Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby following the international break and the game is likely to be crucial for the Gunners, who will want to prove their dominance over their arch-rivals.

Arsenal have always kept within reach of the league leaders in the first half of the season, but the current campaign appears to be taking a different complexion with the Gunners struggling to secure wins on the road. The FA Cup holders have accumulated just four points from a possible 18 on their travels this season.