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Sun Jihai suspended for four matches

(Reuters/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-03-22 10:35

LONDON, March 21 - Manchester City suffered a double blow on Tuesday when China defender Sun Jihai was suspended for four matches and Greece striker Georgios Samaras was ruled out for several weeks through injury.

Sun Jihai(L) argues with refree after being shown the red. [Sina]

Sun, sent off for violent conduct in Monday's 2-1 defeat by West Ham United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, will miss the next four games including Saturday's trip to Premier League leaders Chelsea.

"A straight red card for violent conduct normally brings a ban of three games but his dismissal in a pre-season friendly against Stoke City last July has also been brought into the equation," said City.

"FA (Football Association) rules stipulate that this game took place within the current season, so the ban will last for four matches."

The defender will be available to return against Arsenal on April 17.

Sun Jihai apologised to his Manchester City team-mates and manager Stuart Pearce for the red card immediately after the match.

'Jihai is not a nasty player, totally the opposite in fact,' said Pearce.

'He is one of the most honest lads we have at this club and it is a mark of the character of the man that as soon as the dust had settled, he came up and apologised to me and the rest of the lads for getting sent off.'

What adds City's woes is the ligaments injury of Samaras, who has scored four goals in nine games since leaving Dutch club Heerenveen in January.

The news on Samaras and Sun came as a further blow to City after they lost two home games in three days, the FA Cup tie against West Ham and Saturday's 1-0 Premier League defeat by Wigan Athletic.