‘Ban Man United cheat Young’

FORMER referee and columnist Graham Poll says Manchester United’s Ashley Young is a cheat who should be banned for five games – then he might stop diving to try and con referees.

Poll wrote: “Both his past and present Manchester United managers have admitted he goes to ground far too easily and do not condone such actions.”

Since August 2006, Young, pictured, has won 12 penalties in the Premier League – the most in the division and a record he shares with Gabby Agbonlahor of Aston Villa.

On Saturday Poll said referee Jon Moss had rightly called Young as he threw himself to ground after deliberately drawing contact with Palace’s South African defender Kagisho Dikgacoi.

“I could see how angry Moss was at Young’s attempt to fool him and understand that annoyance.

“You feel pleased not to have been conned but angry and disappointed with the fact the player thinks he can fool you and is prepared to cheat to win.

“This time Young’s duplicity did not fool the ref but it will in other games. Players diving also has a knock-on effect in that it creates greater uncertainty in a ref ’s mind as to whether there has been a foul or not and therefore legitimate penalties are being turned down.

“Back to Old Trafford where a little later Young was ‘clever’ in winning a penalty as he appeared to slow his pace ensuring that the same defender clipped him.

“It was a foul and unfortunately a red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, but as the contact was outside the penalty area Moss erred in giving the penalty. That was though an honest mistake – unlike Young’s earlier dive.” – Daily Mail