Manchester City's David Silva has not suffered any lasting damage from the collision with Cheik Kouyate during yesterday's Premier League at the Etihad.
The Spanish international received oxygen and was taken off the field on stretcher after the two players collided during City's comfortable 2-0 win. However it was confirmed this morning that he had not broken a cheekbone, as initially feared.Yesterday a panel of Sky pundits decided unanimously that West Ham's Senegal international had deliberately planted an elbow in the face of City's Spanish midfielder as the two crossed paths.
Niall Quinn - no stranger to an elbow or two himself during his playing days - was one of the first to condemn Kouyate for what he perceived as a deliberate foul. "Having seen the replay I must say that it was a nasty challenge," he said.
“Obviously we have the benefit of sharper replays and you see he comes down on to his face with the power of his elbow. That’s not good. I’m not going to stand here and defend that as a mistake, as an accident.
“The important thing is David Silva, because it didn’t look good for him at all. Our thoughts are with him and we don’t know exactly how he is yet."
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle also weighed into Kouyate, stating: "Very dangerous. There’s intent, I agree. He’s actually come down – he knows he’s taller. When you hold a player off it’s normally with a straight arm but he’s gone with a bent arm and he’s come down to make contact."
However the verdict reached by Quinn, Hoddle and one or two others was dismissed by a number of Hammers fans commenting on the KUMB Forum this morning.
"He doesn't swing his arm back, he just caught him on the downswing," wrote smuts. "I didn't even think it was a booking. The City players didn't make much of it either."
Comments echoed by fellow KUMB member somerset-hammer, who added: "Have i got my claret and blue specs on? Having seen the 'elbow' a dozen times I'm convinced he [Kouyate] didn't mean it.
"Yet Sky are running their mouths off, highlighting the situation which could lead to Kouyate being punished - and talking like Silva is on his death bed!
"It wasn't that bad, surely?"
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