Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger launched a bizarre attack on match officials who he said were to blame for his side’s 2-1 defeat by Manchester City, declaring that they were immune from attack like “lions in the zoo.”

Wenger’s players looked to have inadequate fitness levels to cope with a second half comeback by Pep Guardiola’s players and he admitted that they had “dropped physically” after leading 1-0 at the interval. But both City’s goals came after borderline offside calls went against Wenger’s players and for the second time in five days he blamed officials.

“We conceded two offside goals which is hard to accept in a game of that stature,” Wenger said. “The referees are protected very well and that is right - like the lions in the zoo. I want them to be protected and be very safe but if they could make the right decision it would be better. It’s too long a subject and I don’t want to make a question of referees in a press conference. [But] it’s difficult to lose a game of that stature with two offside goals. City look very happy and I would as well.”

Pressed on why he could cite fitness levels when his players are supposed to be prepared to elite top flight standard, Wenger also blamed the Premier League for its scheduling. He complained that last week’s game at Everton, in which his players also sacrificed a lead to lose 2-1, was on Tuesday, rather than Wednesday – giving his squad a day less to prepare. Yet if they had played at Goodison Park on Wednesday, there would have been a day less to prepare for City, who leapfrog the North London team to reclaim second spot after their win.

“We played many games,” Wenger said. We’ve had one day less recovery. There are plenty of teams who don’t play in Europe who are big teams and could have played on Wednesday. I think it’s the accumulation of teams who [we] have played.”

The complaint about Sunday afternoon’s referee Martin Atkinson comes after Wenger severely criticised Mark Clattenburg for incorrectly awarding a corner from which Ashley Williams scored an 86th-minute winner last week. Alexis Sanchez was not awarded a penalty which Arsenal also thought should have been theirs.

Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Manchester City vs Arsenal Who impressed as Pep Guardiola's side beat Unai Emery's at the Etihad Stadium? The Independent Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Ederson - 8 out of 10 Came off his line superbly to beat Aubameyang to the ball. Little he could do to prevent Koscielny’s equaliser. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Kyle Walker - 6 out of 10 An improvement on some recent performances. Comfortable when in a back three after playing the same role with England. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Nicolas Otamendi - 6 out of 10 A forceful presence at the back, sometimes too forceful. One robust first-half challenge on Lacazette went unnoticed. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Aymeric Laporte - 7 out of 10 Picks up a rare assist, crossing for Aguero’s first, then saw a goal disallowed for offside. Covered well for Sterling, who was alone on the left flank. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Fernandinho - 7 out of 10 Initially struggled to exert his usual control over the midfield in the first half, perhaps because he had to keep dropping back into defence, but improved. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Bernardo Silva - 7 out of 10 Out of position on the wing and less influential than he often is in a central role but still troubled Arsenal’s left side. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Ilkay Gundogan - 8 out of 10 Almost faultless when distributing the ball. A delicate chip over the top of the defence in the build-up to Aguero’s goal was his best. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings David Silva - 7 out of 10 Not masterful from Il Mago but an all-round improvement on his display at St James’ Park, sprinkled with the odd special touch or pass. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Kevin De Bruyne - 6 out of 10 Did not have his usual influence on the game. An off-day though hardly anything to be concerned about. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Raheem Sterling - 8 out of 10 Created two of Aguero’s three, ghosting superbly behind Lichtsteiner for the second. Asked to cover the entire left flank but did not look out of place. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Sergio Aguero - 9 out of 10 Header, right foot, left arm. An unconventional hat-trick but his 14th in City colours. The wrong side of 30 now but his predatory instincts have not waned. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Bernd Leno - 6 out of 10 Dives too early and the wrong way for Aguero’s first but denied City impressively on several occasions after it. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Stephan Lichtsteiner - 5 out of 10 Caught out by Sterling’s intelligent movement, particularly on City’s second. Arsenal’s third-choice at right back and it showed. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 6 out of 10 Equalises from Torreira corner, Monreal flick-on, but culpable for letting Aguero go at the far post for City’s crucial second. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 5 out of 10 Five yards behind the rest of the Arsenal defence for Aguero’s first, playing every City player onside, though perhaps did not anticipate Iwobi’s error. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Nacho Monreal - 7 out of 10 Neat near-post flick-on for Koscielny’s equaliser. Coped well enough with Bernardo despite being given little support. Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Alex Iwobi - 5 out of 10 Dispossessed deep in his own half by Laporte. Attempted to make up for his mistake and was tidy enough, though did little to atone. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Lucas Torreira - 8 out of 10 Made several key interceptions and tackles, especially as momentum shifted towards Arsenal in the first half. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Matteo Guendouzi - 7 out of 10 Poor start but did not hide and grew into the game as it went on. Largely shut down City’s midfield with Torreira until the game got away from Arsenal. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Sead Kolasinac - 6 out of 10 Stationed at left midfield but perhaps too adventurous for his full-back’s liking, with Monreal left one-on-one with Bernardo too often. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Alexandre Lacazette - 6 out of 10 Him and Aubameyang were sat strangely deep, bulking up Arsenal’s midfield, and this affected his ability to get forward. Getty Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 6 out of 10 As with Lacazette, often too deep to threaten, though a little brighter than his partner and Arsenal’s main threat on the counter-attack. Getty

Wenger, who had to withdraw substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a hamstring problem only 11 minutes after sending him on for Alex Iwobi, said it had been a “horrible week.”

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He said: “We have to come back next week and win our game [at home to West Bromwich on Boxing Day]. I think we have had a horrible week and what is worse, out of two good performances we get zero points and out of two leading positions we lose two games. For a while we’ve not kept a clean sheet. If you want to play at the top you have to keep a clean sheet.”