Victor Moses is a serial diver, cheat - Ex-Premier League referee, Graham Poll

Victor Moses is a serial diver, cheat - Ex-Premier League referee, Graham Poll

Former Premier League referee, Graham Poll, has branded Chelsea's Victor Moses a serial diver and a "cheat".

The Nigerian was sent off in Saturday's FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal, after referee Anthony Taylor showed him a second yellow card for simulation inside the box.

Poll wrote in his column for Daily Mail: "Victor Moses cheated in the FA Cup final in an attempt to win his side a penalty and a lifeline into a game they didn't deserve to win.

"Moses has previous - one incident when on loan at Stoke City was against Swansea City.

Moses 'collapsed' when challenged by Angel Rangel and was branded a cheat by John Hartson and Garry Monk.

"Stoke chairman Peter Coates leapt to his player's defence, saying: 'Moses is not a cheat and those comments crossed the line.'

"Therein lies the problem. We are not prepared to see diving for what it is - a blatant form of cheating which should never be defended or condoned. I wonder what Coates thinks about Moses now?
"In recent weeks, much has been said about simulation and how difficult it is to detect accurately.

"Marcus Rashford, Dele Alli and Leroy Sane, to name but a few, have all won their sides
penalties by conning referees and so the spotlight was on Anthony Taylor to get things right in the final of the oldest cup competition at Wembley.

"Added to that, Taylor will have felt under pressure on Saturday after missing the handball by Alexis Sanchez in the build-up to the opening goal in just the fourth minute.

"While he was excellent in his demeanour and attitude, overruling his assistant's erroneous offside flag, he will have been made aware that he was mistaken when thinking the ball had struck Sanchez's knee - a decision which went against Chelsea.

"Moses anticipated a challenge from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain which never came. Given that and the fact that he was fully aware that he had cautioned Moses just 11 minutes earlier for a blatant tactical foul on Danny Welbeck it
would have been far easier to wave aside the penalty appeal and be pleased that he had not been duped.

"Instead, Taylor took the brave option which so many of his colleagues have failed to this season and stopped play to dismiss Moses. The
dive was clear and blatant which helped but it took courage nonetheless.

"My immediate thought at the time was that Moses should hang his head in shame for being dismissed for such an offence in any game, let alone an FA Cup final. No doubt he won't though as he celebrates a good season, highlighted by his manger Antonio Conte.

"Next season we have the introduction of technology to enable players to be charged retrospectively and I hope that doesn't dampen the referee's resolve to detect and punish on the day as Taylor did.

"However, the focus should not be on the referees but the players who, make no bones about it, do cheat - and any of those who defend them."

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