- Arsenal travel to Wembley to play Tottenham in North London derby on Saturday
- Arsene Wenger has suggested English players have taken over from foreign players as the ‘masters’ of diving
- It came after Dele Alli and Harry Kane were accused of diving against Liverpool
- Mauricio Pochettino said that part of football was trying to ‘trick the opponent’
- Gunners boss Wenger insists that diving has to be stamped out of football
Arsene Wenger claims that English players are now the ‘masters’ of diving.
The Arsenal manager’s comments come just days after Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Dele Alli – two of England’s most high profile players – were accused of diving in the 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.
Arsenal and Tottenham go head-to-head in the north London derby on Saturday.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli was booked for diving during their draw at Liverpool last Sunday
Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane was awarded a penalty during the same match
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested English players are ‘masters’ of diving
While admitting Alli deserved to be booked for diving at Anfield, the Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said earlier this week that part of football is about ‘tricking the opponent’.
Wenger believes Pochettino’s comments have been blown out of proportion – but then suggested diving is creeping into the psyche of English players.
‘We have to get the diving out of the game,’ said Wenger.
‘I remember there were tremendous cases here when foreign players did it but I must say the English players have learned very quickly and they might even be the masters now.
Alli goes down in the Liverpool penalty area during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Anfield
The England star was issued with a yellow card by referee Jon Moss for simulation
Arsenal trail Tottenham by four points ahead of this Saturday’s crucial North London derby
Manchester United’s Ashley Young is another English player to be often accused of diving
‘I am convinced that he [Pochettino] wanted to say that tricking your opponent is to say that you have to be clever. How far was it an apology for diving? I’m not sure at all.
‘I don’t think he would. In my personal case? No.
‘I don’t encourage my players to dive at all. But if you look at the situation, I think when sometimes you do not want to provoke a dive as well. Sometimes you want your players to be intelligent, they have played a little bit with the rules, they make more of it on the penalty case.
‘Every striker will do that. They extend a little bit the rules. Where is it and how far can you go? That is down to the referees and I think that sometimes, at normal speed, it is very difficult to determine, I must say.’
