Mohamed Salah is “not a cheat”, says former Liverpool striker John Aldridge, with there “plenty of worse culprits” when it comes to diving debates in the Premier League and across Europe.
The Egyptian forward finds himself back under a simulation spotlight after Salah’s last outing saw him take a tumble after tangling with West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku inside the box.
A penalty was awarded, that the 28-year-old duly converted, but questions have been asked of whether modern-day stars go to ground too easily.
Salah has been accused of such theatrics in the past, but the general consensus is that players have to go down in order to get big decisions.
Aldridge admits as much and feels a star turn on Merseyside is being unfairly singled out due to his profile as a global superstar.
The former Reds frontman told the Liverpool Echo: “What I will say about the incident against West Ham is first and foremost it was a penalty.
“Yes, Mo did over-react, as a lot of players - both continental and British - do.
“It’s something that has crept into the game more over the last few decades although it’s always been there to an extent as anyone who saw Franny Lee in action would tell you.
“It’s not just forward players either, John Terry when he was playing at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho was as bad as the strikers!
“Yes Mo went to ground quite easily but he was kicked and, whether people like it or not, that is what you have to do to get the reaction from the referee.
“It would be much better if referees would give a foul when players try to stay on their feet but they never, ever do and, as I’ve said many times before, until officials do start doing that players will feel they’ve got no option but to hit the deck.
“If defenders are naive enough to get too close to Salah or Harry Kane or whoever and hit them, it’s their fault for getting suckered in.”
Aldridge added: “I do think Mo has to be more subtle about it because he’s already missed out on a lot of penalties he should have had for Liverpool because of his reactions.
“The way he plays with getting in the box so often and how he uses his body against defenders means he’ll always put defenders under pressure.
“He gets kicked plenty as well and as Liverpool fans we’ve seen how sometimes he doesn’t get his just deserts so it’s swings and roundabouts really.
“I’d like to see him not go to ground too heavy but it’s hard because he’s done it all of his life like a lot of players, it’s almost second nature and in the DNA to many now, Harry Kane included.
“Mo Salah is not a cheat, he goes down no more regularly than anyone else and I actually think there’s plenty of worse culprits but he gets highlighted more often because he’s such a fantastic player.”