Guardiola hits out as win comes at cost

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called for players to get better protection after Leroy Sane was left facing a spell on the sidelines following the 2-0 FA Cup win at Cardiff.

Guardiola was left counting the cost of a fourth-round victory secured by first-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.

Sane failed to come out for the second half after Joe Bennett’s high tackle left the Germany winger with an ankle injury, and the Cardiff defender was sent off in the final seconds for another poor challenge on City substitute Brahim Diaz.

“He (Sane) will be out for a while – minimum two weeks, three weeks, one month, we will see tomorrow exactly,” said City manager Guardiola. “I said many times the only thing they (referees) have to do is protect the players.”

Meanwhile, Michy Batshuayi scored twice as Chelsea marched on in the FA Cup with a 3-0 home win over Newcastle.

Defeat by Arsenal last Wednesday saw the Blues knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the semi-final stage.

But Chelsea avoided elimination from a second cup competition in a week as Batshuayi’s firsthalf double and a brilliant Marcos Alonso free-kick ensured progression to today’s fifth-round draw.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits it is back to square one after two unbeaten runs were ended in the space of six days.

Having seen an 18-match undefeated run in all competitions come to a crashing halt at Swansea on Monday, their 3-2 FA Cup fourth-round defeat to West Brom on Saturday saw a 19-game home record ended.

West Brom manager Alan Pardew was critical of the application of the Video Assistant Referee system during the match.

Three major incidents in the first half alone required the intervention of technology, including the first time a match referee has used a pitchside television replay.

The time taken left fans and players on both sides frustrated.