Cech was criticised for allowing Carlos Tevez to score a 25-yard free-kick winner at Eastlands on Saturday.

But while Ancelotti defended his goalkeeper yesterday, Cech did not train with back-up keepers Hilario and Turnbull.

Instead, he underwent a solo session in the afternoon although he is due to return to training with the full squad today.

Seven of the 10 goals conceded by Chelsea this season have come from set-pieces and Cech accepted he was at fault for City’s winner.

“I don’t want to go into whether it was a free-kick in the first place – I should have saved it,” admitted Cech.

“It was a very poor free-kick and it finished in the back of the net because I anticipated too much.

“I made a step to the wrong side just before Tevez fired the shot. At that moment it was too late to move to the other side to save the ball. It was a soft goal to concede.

“We didn’t deserve to lose. The most important thing is how he we respond in the upcoming fixtures. Every time you make a step back, you need to make two steps forward.”

Ancelotti has no concerns over Cech’s form saying: “Even a good goalkeeper can make a mistake sometimes but Petr has been doing very well this season.”