Phil Jagielka has accused Martin Atkinson of arrogance after alleging the referee made a sarcastic comment about Everton’s defending when challenged over Kevin De Bruyne’s controversial goal in the Capital One Cup semi-final.

The Everton captain was visibly incensed after Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester City, where the dominant hosts levelled the tie on aggregate through De Bruyne’s finish from a Raheem Sterling ball that had gone out of play.

Jagielka’s anger was fuelled by Atkinson’s failure to keep track of the ball and what he has said was the referee’s attempt to shift the blame when confronted over the mistake. It has been suggested the match official made other controversial comments to Everton players during the game.

“I tried to [speak to the referee about the incident] but he just told me that our defending was brilliant,” said Jagielka, the Everton captain. “It is difficult when things start going the wrong way and they become a little bit arrogant, but unfortunately that is the way it goes.

“If he made a decision wrong or he didn’t see it that is what happens, but sometimes when you go and speak to people and, in such big games, get the answers you get it is that little bit more frustrating.

“City played well. They hit the post and all sorts of stuff like that. I am not stupid enough not to realise that, but it is just frustrating. It’s a bitter pill to swallow when you get in the changing room and realise the goal that changed the game was so far out.”

Jagielka was close to the incident – as was Atkinson – and said he was left “pretty speechless” by the overall performance from the match officials.

“It was a weird one,” he said of City’s second goal. “Obviously Raheem has had a big touch and, playing football you pretty much guess that is going out, and then instead the ball has been fizzed back across and it has gone in the goal. It did happen quite quick but the way things have gone in the last few games, people can’t see offsides and people can’t see the ball out of play. We are obviously feeling a bit annoyed at some of the decisions we have got recently.

“It is really hard. You know your luck is obviously not in when the deflection goes in for the first goal and then as the game is heating up and they are piling on the pressure, some decisions happened that still bemuse me now – throw-ins given for I don’t know what. The ball was out of play, I’m pretty speechless. I am not saying it is the best we have played but we certainly didn’t get anything for what we put in there.”

The England international added: “It was still a great cutback and a great finish but the replays show it is not just an inch or so out. You expect the officials that are supposed to be of a high standard to spot that but obviously it wasn’t one of those nights.”