Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera insists he should have had penalty in derby defeat to City

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Ander Herrera has insisted that Nicolas Otamendi stamped on his foot during the Manchester derby and called on referee Michael Oliver to show some consistency for failing to book City duo Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus for diving.

The midfielder was booked towards the end of Sunday’s game at Old Trafford for simulation, after a challenge by goalscorer Otamendi, something both he and his manager Jose Mourinho insisted was a penalty.

Herrera cannot appeal the yellow card and has called on the Premier League to reassess their rules as a result while also claiming Sane and Jesus should have been booked for simulation in the first half when they went down in the area, although their protests were just waved away by the referee rather than any other action being taken against them.

“I think the penalty is amazing,” Herrera said, having shown reporters video of Otamendi making contact with him. “He didn't expect to arrive for the ball. I touched the ball first and he stamped on my foot. I think everyone saw it.

“Everyone can make mistakes too, also the referee, I didn't deserve the yellow card. In the first half the same situations with Gabriel Jesus and (Leroy) Sane and they didn't get yellow cards.

“Now that is my fourth yellow card and that is a big problem for me because I want to play every game. In Spain if you get something undeserved you can appeal and they take it out.

“That is one of the things that could improve the Premier League because it is an amazing thing, an amazing competition. In my opinion the organisation is the best in the world, but it is a real shame that if you don't deserve a yellow card you cannot appeal afterwards. Hopefully one day that rule can change.”

The result leaves Manchester United 11 points behind City with only 16 games gone as the club’s 40-game unbeaten home record came to an end. But Herrera insisted have United will keep chasing their neighbours despite the result feeling like a “big punch”.

“It's hard to lose the way we did because we have lost with two unlucky goals,” Herrera added. “The only thing we can think now is we are still second, we want to keep chasing them.

“I know it is difficult, but we want to keep winning games and now beating Bournemouth (on Wednesday) is all we can do. It is a big punch because of the way we lost.

“When you play against City you can expect to have problems when they have the ball, but we didn't have too many problems when they had the ball, that's why we feel even more disappointed.”