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Two things link the penalties that Wilfried Zaha has been accused of diving for this season - both players who fouled him admitted it was a penalty. After the 2-2 draw on Sunday, Xhaka admitted that it was a clear penalty. Yet it seems that after every time Zaha goes down in the box - winning a penalty or not - Palace fans have to defend him for not diving.
Wilfried Zaha's reputation should not be for diving. However, it sadly is. He is a tremendous footballer and person, but is yet tarnished for something he is not. Zaha has said it himself in an interview with PalaceTV, "At the pace that we are running, the slightest touch could trip you up". He is right, with the pace professional football players can run at, the slightest of touches will be able to knock you off balance.
He is perhaps labelled a diver because he does not play for a top-six club. In February this year, Mauricio Pochettino defended Dele Alli diving by saying, "Football is about tricking your opponent" and nothing more was said about it after that. While perhaps Zaha uses different trickery to fool his opponents, it is unfair that he is lambasted for the same issue while players for top six clubs who 'dive' get off lightly.
It is not just fans that attack and label Zaha for being a diver, but also the media. None more so than Chris Sutton. Sutton publicly ousted Zaha for winning a penalty against Manchester City last season; calling it the worst dive he had seen. It was only two weeks ago that he once again accused the Crystal Palace player of diving. After winning a penalty in Palace's 2-0 defeat away to Everton, Sutton said that Zaha "chose not to stay on his feet". There were no complaints from Coleman at the time.
Zaha himself has called for protection from referees. It is obvious to see - as the Eagles' starman - that opposition players target him to try and withdraw him from the game. More needs to be done, and protection needs to be given to players such as Zaha.
