Pardew accepts he stepped out of line with his tirade at Pellegrini

The 52-year-old aimed an expletive-laden volley at the Chilean during the first half of his side’s controversial 2-0 Premier League defeat by the new leaders yesterday afternoon.

A contrite Pardew said: “I hear that it’s been picked up a little bit, and I apologise for my comments 100 per cent.

“It was a heat of the moment thing. We just had words that we always have as managers, to a degree.

“I have apologised to him and fortunately, for myself, he has accepted that.”

Pardew’s comments included a particularly offensive four-letter word, and he later admitted Pellegrini’s involvement in the spat did not merit that.

He said: “No, I don’t think it merited that word, if I am honest. As I said, I have apologised for that particular word, but we sort of tease each other a little bit and have words.”

Pellegrini insisted he did not know what Pardew had said to him, but was untroubled by the exchange, although he did accuse the Newcastle boss of questioning every decision the officials made. He said: “I’m not surprised because I think it is impossible to complain about every decision of the referee during the match.

“I know they were playing at home and they have an advantage in that sense, but it’s impossible for the referee if you are complaining at every decision.

“That was my only problem with Alan, but nothing important.”

The root of Pardew’s complaint was referee Mike Jones’s decision to rule out a 34th-minute ‘equaliser ‘ by Cheick Tiote for offside against Yoan Gouffran.

The Frenchman was in an offside position as the Ivory Coast international’s piledriver flew past helpless goalkeeper Joe Hart, although Pardew could not accept Jones’s judgment that he was interfering with play.

He said: “I have gone and seen him. I was right behind the shot, as the fourth official was, and it was a clean strike.

“It was a great moment for this football club to get a goal like that, so if you are going to chalk it off, you need to make sure that you are getting the point right.

“My point was did he think Gouffran was interfering with Joe Hart, and he said, ‘He was in the six-yard box’, and I get that.

“The guy was recovering from an offside position, he didn’t want anything to do with the play, but he is not interfering with Joe Hart’s vision. In fact, it goes on the inside of him.

“The Man City players are impairing Joe’s vision, not Gouffran.”

City had taken an eighth-minute lead when Edin Dzeko converted Aleksandar Kolarov’s left-wing cross, but they had to wait until the fifth minute of stoppage time at the end of the game for Alvaro Negredo to seal victory with his 19th goal of the season and take them above Chelsea at the top of the table.