MANCHESTER // Sam Allardyce insisted Cheikhou Kouyate was blameless for the collision that left Manchester City’s David Silva in hospital with a suspected broken cheekbone and collarbone.
The West Ham United midfielder was cautioned after he caught Silva with an elbow, which necessitated a seven-minute delay in play while the Spaniard was given oxygen and stretchered off in a neck brace.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini conceded he was worried Silva could face a long spell on the sidelines.
“It looked serious but we must wait to see what happens at the hospital,” he said.
Allardyce defended Kouyate, insisting the midfielder could not see Silva and had no intention of hurting him.
“It was accidental,” he said. “It was innocuous. I didn’t think it was a foul. I just had a look now. Everybody thinks it is a more serious attack from Cheikhou than it was. It wasn’t deliberate at all. He has no idea, it has happened from behind him.”
Pellegrini supported his West Ham counterpart. “I always think that a player doesn’t want to damage another player. The referee was so near and he decided he was unintentional.”
City, who had lost six of their previous nine games, won 2-0 courtesy of an extraordinary own goal from James Collins, who contrived to lob his goalkeeper from Jesus Navas’s cross, and more of a regulation finish from Sergio Aguero.
“The most disappointing thing was the goals we gifted Manchester City,” said Allardyce. “One was pretty bizarre. You can’t make the mistakes we made and expect to get anything out of the game.”
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