MANCHESTER -- Bernardo Silva has urged referees to be stronger after some tough challenges on Manchester City players during their 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

West Brom's James McClean was booked by referee Bobby Madley when he tried to hack down Kevin De Bruyne, and Matt Phillips got a yellow card when he caught Brahim Diaz with a dangerous high challenge.

The incidents came three days after Leroy Sane was ruled out for up to seven weeks with ankle ligament damage following a tackle from Joe Bennett in the FA Cup win over Cardiff City.

City boss Pep Guardiola has called for more protection for players and Silva echoed those remarks.

He told reporters: "It's clear over the last few months -- we've seen with Leroy it was a terrible accident and now he's injured for two months and he is a very important player.

"Today it could have been Brahim, it could have been Kevin on the second goal. I think, as the coach says, the referees have to do their job and if it's a red card they have to give the red card.

"They are not doing that over the last few months. We hope that soon they start protecting our players because, the way other teams are tackling our players, it's not part of the game.

"It's not fair play and they have to try to punish the players that play this way."

Bernardo Silva believes he is finding his best form. Tom Flathers/Man City via Getty Images

Sane's injury will give Silva, 23, who has made just seven Premier League starts since his summer move from Monaco, a chance for more game time.

The Portuguese forward said he expected to take some time to acclimatise to life in England but believes he is finding his best form.

"I feel like I'm getting better and better," he added. "I want to try to get even better because this is not even close to what I can do for this team, so I think I'm improving and I want to improve more and more.

"I knew when I first arrived that it wouldn't be easy to get into the team probably as fast I wanted to. I'm feeling really well, I'm feeling like I'm helping the team that's what I wanted to do."

Silva said he feels most comfortable as a No. 10 but is prepared to play wherever Guardiola asks him to, including starting as a false No. 9 against Cardiff.

"It's good to try new positions to develop and to learn -- when you play in different places on the pitch you learn a lot of different things," he said.

"Most of my formation I did as a No. 10 but then when I arrived on the second team at Benfica I played a few times on the right side.

"When I went to Monaco, in my first season and my third, last season I played on the right. With the national team mostly I play on the right side. So now I'm used to it.

"I know I'm not a fast player like Sane or [Raheem] Sterling, I know I cannot do some of the things that they can. But I try to do other things and of course I try to improve myself."