- Tottenham ace Dele Alli has moved to defend himself amid accusations of diving
- Alli, 21, has been booked twice for simulation in the Premier League this season
- He also hit the headlines for a dramatic fall in a win at Crystal Palace last month
- Alli denied attempting to con the ref at Palace, saying: ‘It can look a lot different’
Dele Alli has hit back at his critics amid accusations of diving.
The Tottenham star was recently hailed as the best 21-year-old in world football by his manager Mauricio Pochettino, but he has also seen himself branded a cheat by others after being booked twice this season for simulation.
Alli received further criticism for an apparent dive in Tottenham’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace last month, although he did not pick up a yellow card on that occasion.
Dele Alli has been booked twice for diving this season but the Spurs man insists he’s no cheat
Speaking to The Telegraph, Alli admitted that he resented questions about his honesty as a player, while he moved to defend his decision to go to ground at Selhurst Park despite the lack of contact from goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
He said: ‘Nobody wants to be labelled as a cheat. It’s an opinion and everyone has a different opinion. I get into the box a lot and round the box, and I’m an attacking player and I get fouled a lot. There are some that look bad. It’s different when you are in the action.
‘The one at Crystal Palace, that’s the one I saw a lot of reaction to. I was running through and, at the time, all was going through my head was that I didn’t want to step on the keeper. But when you watch it back and people start saying things, it can look a lot different.
‘That’s why I think it’s important that players, not just about diving, about other stuff too, that you don’t get too involved in it and just focus on what you are doing and listen to the opinions of the people you trust.
‘I think we live in a world now where everyone has a chance to have an opinion and with social media, everyone’s opinion can be seen and it’s important that I don’t get drawn into that, don’t look at it, don’t read it or start to believe what people say about me.
‘I am 21 and you do some dumb things sometimes, and it’s all part of learning and improving, and turning into a good person and that’s what I want to achieve.’
Alli was criticised for a dramatic fall over Wayne Hennessey but says: ‘It can look a lot different’