“We are encouraging players to dive” - Ex-Liverpool midfielder slams Manchester United penalty decision against Wigan
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has slammed on-field referee Anthony Taylor's penalty decision in Manchester United's 2-0 FA Cup win against Wigan Athletic (January 8).
The Red Devils took the lead in this third-round tie after Diogo Dalot curled the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box (22'). After spurning multiple opportunities to double their lead, captain Bruno Fernandes won his side a penalty in the 74th minute.
The call was seemingly soft and saw minimal contact from Liam Shaw, the player adjudged to have infringed Fernandes in the area. Claiming that such decisions are leading to players going down in theatric fashion, Murphy told talkSPORT:
"There is a tiny little touch and unfortunately, what we are doing by giving those penalties, is we are encouraging players to dive with any, any contact. Because there was not enough contact to send him over and then he puts his foot on the floor and thinks ‘Oh, I better go over’."
“It is an exaggerated fall, it is an awful decision and it’s encouraging diving. It is encouraging players to go down.”
Without a VAR decision to contend with, the Portuguese midfielder doubled his side's lead and marked his sixth goal of the campaign across competitions. Three of those strikes have come from the spot.
Up next for the Red Devils in the FA Cup is a fourth-round fixture against either League Two's Newport County or National League side Eastleigh. The Red Devils also return to Premier League action on Sunday (January 14) when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Roy Keane slams Rasmus Hojlund after Manchester United's FA Cup win
Manchester United legend Roy Keane, meanwhile, has slammed striker Rasmus Hojlund following his performance in the Red Devils' 2-0 win against Wigan Athletic. The Denmark international has scored just one Premier League goal in 15 appearances this season.
Amid this worrying run of form, Hojlund failed to score in his side's latest fixture. He struck the woodwork from a close-range header in the 29th minute, an opportunity a top striker would be expected to take.
Addressing the player's performance after the match, Keane told ITV (via The Sun):
"You're too kind. I would be fuming with him. When your striker is missing chances, we can say unlucky all day, they are great opportunities. Put the ball in the back of the net and stop messing around!"
Since Hojlund's reported €73.9 million move from Atalanta last summer, he's scored six goals from 24 appearances across competitions. The attacker's poor form has led to Manchester United racking up the fewest goals of any Premier League side in the top 13 (22).