Alan Shearer slammed an 'unacceptable' pause that may have contributed to Jack Grealish's gutting injury.
The Manchester City star had started against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League. But he lasted just half an hour before being replaced.
And Shearer believes a long wait earlier in the game as Erling Haaland's goal was checked contributed. Both sides were forced to stand around as VAR attempted to come to a decision over a narrow offside decision earlier in the move.
Speaking on commentary, Shearer said: “I mentioned it, it certainly doesn’t help when you’ve got elite athletes standing around for four minutes. It cannot help you or your body, it’s not acceptable that players had to wait for so long.”
Grealish was eventually replaced by City teammate Phil Foden. It was a heart-breaking end to the winger's game after starting well having been handed a chance by Pep Guardiola.
The former Aston Villa winger had only started 12 games in all competitions before the clash with Real Madrid, but had begun brightly and played a key role in Haaland's opening goal. It was Grealish that dinked the ball through for Josko Gvardiol, with the defender chesting into Haaland's path to fire home.
But there was then a lengthy stoppage as lines were drawn to determine whether Haaland had any part of his body beyond the ball, with the goal ultimately allowed to stand.
Grealish will hope that his injury isn't serious enough to sideline him for the foreseeable future having forced himself back into the reckoning. The reigning Premier League champions take on Newcastle this weekend before their return leg with Real Madrid.
Guardiola had previously explained that the productivity of his fellow forwards, including Savinho, was the main reason why he was benched.
He said: "Jack has this sense of the street. He is a player of the street. Today most of the players, for a manager, are academic - 'you have to do this or that'. Jack is a fighter. He is there to fight in the stadiums when the people shout.
"He didn't play the last games, mainly because Savinho on the left side had an incredible connection with Erling (Haaland) but the season is still open. But against Orient I saw the glimpse that he is going to rebel, to show the manager how wrong he is. I love that."
January signing Nico Gonzalez was another to be injured this week after he was taken off on his debut against Leyton Orient. But he recovered in time to be handed a place on the bench against Real.
Fellow midfielder Rodri remains restricted to the sidelines with his long-term knee injury. The Spaniard however has been added to City's squad for the knockout rounds of the Champions League.