David Moyes calls for retrospective punishment on players who dive

Ashley Young was booked for simulation in Manchester United’s game at home against Crystal Palace (Getty Images)

Manchester United manager David Moyes has called for retrospective action to punish players who dive to win fouls after Manchester United winger Ashley Young was booked for simulation during his team’s defeat of Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

“I have said for many years diving is something we should have retrospective video for. That would help referees no end,” said Moyes.

“You can never be sure it won’t happen again but I have had a word with him (Young) privately.

“It is really difficult at times. Moving from Everton to Manchester United doesn’t change my views on that.”

Young was booked after he ran into a challenge by Palace’s Kagisho Dikgacoi and tumbled theatrically. Dikgacoi was later sent off when he conceded a penalty for denying Ashley Young a goalscoring opportunity when the pacy winger had got goal-side of him.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish wants diving players to be sent off.

“If preventing a goal-scoring opportunity is a straight red then trying to create one by cheating should be a straight red also,” said Parish in an email to BBC Radio 5 Live’s 606 programme on Sunday night.

“Ashley Young’s dive and the appeal before put pressure on the ref to give a subsequent penalty that was certainly outside the area and probably wasn’t even a foul.”

The Football Association (FA) insist that any changes to the rules regarding the issue must come from FIFA. Earlier this year the FA changed its rules regarding how it deals with violent incidents – allowing it to punish players retrospectively for violent challenges but it does not seem as though it will do the same to tackle simulation.

FIFA allows national associations to make their own decisions and the Scottish FA use video evidence to take retrospective action on players who are found guilty of diving.