Stoke City striker Peter Crouch writes a weekly column exclusively for Sportsmail

The first thing to say is I'd have done exactly the same if I'd been wearing blue.

It has been claimed Manchester City's players crossed a line at Old Trafford but nothing could be further from the truth.

Why wouldn't you celebrate a big win away from home? In the heat of the moment, at the end of a match when there is something huge riding on the outcome, the only people you think about is yourself and all the people on your team who have helped you.

If the team in the opposite dressing room doesn't like it, that's their problem. The way City's squad reacted was totally natural. I saw the game as a title decider and the manner in which they put United away means they effectively aren't for catching.

It has been claimed Manchester City's players celebrated excessively last Sunday

Why wouldn't their players celebrate a big victory away from home against their big rivals

So I could fully appreciate the stories that emerged of music blaring, screaming and shouting in the away dressing room. I had an experience seven years ago that I could relate to — one, ironically, in which the team on the receiving end was Man City.

At the Etihad Stadium on May 5, 2010, I scored the goal that put Tottenham back into Europe's top club competition for the first time since 1961. It was the penultimate game of the season and the battle to finish fourth had boiled down to a shootout between ourselves and City.

The feeling was amazing and the celebrations were incredible. We headed over to our fans at the end, singing and dancing. When we got back into the dressing room, there were bottles of champagne waiting for us.

I scored the goal that put Tottenham back into the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium

The celebrations after the game - including bottles of champagne - were incredible

I'll never forget that because each one said 'Welcome to the Champions League'. Sky had broadcast the match and they had the bottles prepared in readiness for the winners. You can imagine in our little sanctuary how much they were getting shaken up and fizzed around. The noise, the music was amazing.

We didn't care where we were, we just wanted to release our feelings. Though the make-up of the tunnel area is different to Old Trafford — the away team turns left, the home team goes right — the City lads couldn't have failed to hear us... but they let us carry on without saying a word.

The second thing to say is I would have been equally as angry had I been wearing red. Some people believe the reaction of United's players was excessive but I understand why they reacted as they did. I've been in their position, sitting in a dressing room when barely a word is being spoken and all you can hear is the thudding of a stereo and the screaming of a squad who have taken what you want more than anything. It churns away inside and winds you up.

Defeats like Manchester United's loss against City churn away inside and wind you up

When I think back to the 2007 Champions League final in Athens, all that comes into my mind is the laughter of the AC Milan players filtering through the walls. It was awful. It's part and parcel of football but it never gets easier when someone rubs it in your face.

There was a big thing when Liverpool played West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final. We saw the West Ham celebrations at the semi-final when they beat Middlesbrough; the players had this little dance they kept doing and we were adamant there was no way they were going to dance in front of us.

The idea of them celebrating with 'our' trophy was never going to be tolerated and that provided some inspiration for our comeback in the second half, when we drew 3-3 before winning on penalties.

Critics are saying United are bad losers but we all are. Am I a bad loser? Absolutely. I don't think you can play in the Premier League or participate in elite sport if you don't mind losing.

The 2007 Champions League final just brings memories of AC Milan's players laughing

You will lose at some point. It is part of the game. It comes home with you when you lose. I don't tend to sleep after games, but it's worse if we've lost. The next day it preys on my mind, I'm always thinking about what I could have done differently.

Jose Mourinho would have been so wound up because it was three huge points before Christmas and you mix that all together, you end up with the kind of commotion that erupted at Old Trafford, which is probably the only stadium in the country where something like that could happen and not be filmed. Both teams turn left from the main tunnel to go into this tight little corridor, with the United players having to pass the away dressing room. The space is tight but there are no cameras and that probably explains why it goes off there more than anywhere else!

Most of the time it is handbags, pushing and shoving. You don't see many digs being thrown because everyone is holding everyone, but such flashpoints are always going to happen. They have been going on since football began and I've lost count of how many I've seen during my career.

In some ways, isn't this what supporters want to see from their players? When it comes down to it, we can explain in one word why this happened: passion. Fans want to see the players are hurting. If everyone was smiling, laughing and joking, it wouldn't go down well. This showed everyone cared. You can call United bad losers but there is nothing wrong with that. Bad losers make the best winners.

Jose Mourinho would have been wound up because it was three huge points to lose in the race

It may sound strange to say but it feels like David Silva has gone up another gear. Just watching him against Manchester United — he was putting his foot in, tackling. He was everywhere, a side to his game that we had never seen before.

When we played Manchester City, him and Kevin De Bruyne ran the most of anyone in their side. Years ago, talents like that were called luxury players and other people did the running for them. This is modern football: you can't carry anyone if you want to win. Credit to Pep Guardiola for adding this dimension to their performances. He has got them to a level now where they run themselves into the ground every match.

I've always admired Silva but this season he's been top notch.

He has never been the PFA Player of the Year, but he is going to get closer to that award than ever before. He and De Bruyne have easily been the standout players, ahead of Eden Hazard and Mohamed Salah, who are up there too.

It seems as though City midfielder David Silva has managed to go up another gear this season

Steven N'Zonzi could be the bargain buy of January sales

The January window will soon be open and one name I've seen persistently linked with a move to the Premier League in recent days is Steven Nzonzi.

I have no idea where he will end up —Arsenal and Everton are the clubs getting the biggest mentions — but one thing I do know for certain is he will be a quality addition wherever he goes, as he is tailor-made for our game.

Steven was my team-mate at Stoke for three years. When he left for Seville in 2015, I was shocked that Arsenal or Liverpool didn't enter the bidding for him as I felt he would have been ideal for both those clubs, particularly Arsenal. He looked like he could be a replacement for Patrick Vieira.

I genuinely think he's got it in him to become that good.

My old team-mate Steven N'Zonzi would be a top addition for any club in the Premier League

You can't really compare him to Vieira because he was something else but Steven has got similar attributes, being so good on the ball and energetic, but so strong, powerful and good in the air. I sometimes think players who are doing well for Stoke get overlooked and that may have been the case for Steven

His situation reminded me of Lassana Diarra, who I played with at Portsmouth. He had been at Chelsea and Arsenal, but barely played.

After training with him a few times, I couldn't work out why.

He ended up going to Real Madrid for £18million, but we were so lucky to have him at Fratton Park.

N'Zonzi can have stroppy moments but he's a good lad and was overlooked at Stoke

'Lass' was quality and that is the word that I would use without hesitation to describe Steven, who has been excellent for Seville and won the Europa League with them in 2016.

If he does return to England next month, he won't have any trouble settling as he knows the league inside out after his spells with us and, before that, Blackburn. He can have some stroppy moments when things aren't going well, but he's a good lad.

Any club that takes a punt on him will be getting a good one.

England won't go far wrong if Jack Butland is No 1 in Russia

It has been hard going for Jack Butland this past week. We were all gutted to lose at the death against Burnley on Tuesday night, but Jack was particularly frustrated, as he deserved a clean sheet.

He has been our standout performer and the form Jack has been showing has made my mind even clearer that there will be a point in the near future when he becomes England's No 1. He is world class and has everything a keeper needs, from his size to his athleticism, while he is also good with his feet.

The focus is on him a little more now, given the difficult time Joe Hart is experiencing at West Ham, but I don't think Joe losing his place will have changed Jack's attitude with regards to starting England's next friendly in March. There certainly won't be any complacency. Jack is very focused and is the kind of character who takes everything in his stride.

Jack Butland is world class and has everything that a goalkeeper needs to succeed

He has never made any secret about wanting to take over the gloves from Joe in the future and if that was to happen in Russia next summer, we wouldn't go far wrong.

If he can stay fit for the rest of the season, he will be right in England manager Gareth Southgate's thoughts, although I can't talk about Jack without mentioning Stoke's other goalkeeper, Lee Grant.

He's so unlucky.

Whenever Lee comes in, he always does well. He would be a good No 1 for anyone in the Premier League.