Manchester City stars getting BUTCHERED by fouls that could wreck someone's World Cup dream, warns Raheem Sterling
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Raheem Sterling claims Manchester City are being “butchered” by the Premier League’s hatchet men.
And he fears the vicious tackles could cost someone their World Cup place.
Sterling's fellow wide-man Leroy Sane is is out for up to two months because of a horror tackle by Cardiff’s Joe Bennett in the FA Cup last weekend, while Brahim Diaz was lucky to escape injury after another shocker in midweek by Matt Phillips of West Brom.
“I think the referees and officials need to cut these tackles out because as you can see, some of the players are getting butchered out there and it’s sad to see,” said the England forward.
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
“I find it a bit unfair at times.
I feel that we haven’t been protected enough in certain situations. I think some of the challenges have been awful.”
The World Cup starts in June, and Sterling is worried one of these horrific tackles could cost someone their chance of going to Russia.
“It’s not what I expect to see in a top-flight football match — especially when teams are losing and just go out to kick players,” he said. “I don’t think that’s right.
(Image: PA Wire)
(Image: AFP/Getty)
“I do think we need to cut down on that because we’ve got a World Cup at the end of the season and majority of the players in the top flight, and in our team, will be playing in it.
“It would be sad to see someone miss the tournament due to a silly tackle and someone getting away with it.
“These tackles can happen, but it can’t be every game where we’re getting two players coming in with injuries.”