Arsenal winger Samir Nasri maintains referees should do more to protect players in the Premier League. Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong has been dropped from the Holland squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden after his tackle left Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa with a double fracture and most likely out for the season.
Ben Arfa's fellow France international Nasri believes malice is often difficult to prove, but maintains referees could do more to clamp down on over-zealous challenges.
"What strikes me is the refereeing. The referee saw Hatem exit on a stretcher with an oxygen mask, yet he didn't punish de Jong. It's that which has to change in England," Nasri said on Eurosport.
"Nigel de Jong has pedigree, a bit like [Mark] van Bommel. Referees should know that these players make foul tackles.
"The tackle wasn't exactly like the one that Eduardo suffered against Birmingham, but it was a hard tackle, from the side."
Nasri continued: "With the exception of one time, when [Joey] Barton tried to hack me down, players are not 'evil'.
"There are sometimes accidents and there always have been, considering the commitment levels - but are we protected enough in England? I don't think so."
