Zero Protection: Man City Request PGMOL Meeting Over Rough Tackles Targeting Their Key Players

Manchester City have requested a meeting with the body responsible for top flight referees over a number of challenges they deem to have been unfair.

The Premier League leaders want to hold talks with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) organisation, according to BBC Sport, after they became fed up with the nasty nature of tackles made on their players.

The likes of Leroy Sane, Kevin De Bruyne and Brahim Diaz have all bore the brunt of rough tackles in recent matches, but City boss Pep Guardiola feels that nine incidents concerning the welfare of his stars should have been dealt harsher punishments.

Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

City also want a review into rules that prevent panels from increasing bans or punishments on players who have already been cautioned by referees during games.

The Citizens are not thought to have spoken to the other 19 clubs in England's top tier, but apparently believe they would be backed up by a number of other sides.

Guardiola has become increasingly concerned over the safety of his best players over perceived tough challenges and has called on match officials to 'protect all footballers' from horror tackles.

(You may also be interested in Pep Guardiola Provides Timely Injury Boost Over Man City Stars Ahead of Season Run-in)

Raheem Sterling has also claimed that City are being 'butchered' by teams who cannot compete with them on a football level, while Bernardo Silva stated his belief that he and his teammates are being specifically targeted.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain are said to have met after the match against West Brom and agreed to write to the PGMOL to ask for a meeting over tackles they deem to be over the top.

Guardiola and his men have suggested that current rules, whereby if a referee issues a yellow card for a tackle cannot be reviewed after the contest, should be changed.

The Football Association, however, is hesitant to re-referee games and continue to hold out belief that match officials have already dealt with the incident if they caution a player for a foul.

Strangely enough, however, City only rank as the 12th most-fouled team in the Premier League this term while Sterling is the only Citizen star to appear in the top 25 most-fouled players so far this season.