City blamed for Santa Cruz blow

Published Jan. 24, 2010 6:40 a.m. ET

foxsports

The 28-year-old Paraguay international striker limped off after just eight minutes against Everton last weekend on his comeback from injury. Santa Cruz's physician Jose Manuel Sanchez is unhappy with the Eastlands outfit, and insists the forward should have been given more time to recover. "This time, Roque is not injured in his left knee," he said in the News of the World. "Instead, he has a muscular problem and it is a new injury. "I told him to rest for at least 10 days but City made him play against Everton. "It was a bad decision by them." Santa Cruz, who has endured an injury-hit campaign, is expected to return for Roberto Mancini's side in February after this latest setback.