Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has slammed Tottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli for diving, and claimed that the England international will never change.
The 21-year-old has come under fire in recent weeks for simulation, having been booked for the third time in his Tottenham career after going down in the box against Liverpool.
Alli was once again accused of diving during Spurs’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, going down under a challenge from Eagles goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, but he was not booked and will face no retrospective action for the flashpoint.
In a column for the Daily Mail, Redknapp claims that Alli will never change his ways, and says that the Tottenham man doesn’t care about the criticism.
“Dele Alli won’t change. The Spurs star has been heavily criticised again for apparently diving against Crystal Palace but I don’t think he cares. He is now the worst offender for going to ground in the Premier League. That is unlikely to stop him.
“When you’re playing, it’s hard to prevent yourself doing something that has become so ingrained. That’s the way it looks with Dele,” said Redknapp.
Spurs overcame a stubborn Palace side that had been ravaged by injuries as Harry Kane popped up with an 88th-minute headed winner to seal an important three points which takes Spurs up to fourth.
OPINION
The criticism of Alli in recent weeks has been harsh. There is no denying that the 21-year-old is a serial offender, but there are such players in every single team in the Premier League. The fact that Alli is English seems to have made him an easy target for the press, and unless he cuts it out of his game then the criticism will never cease. The youngster does need to start being careful, as his reputation is beginning to precede him, and referees will be reluctant to award him genuine fouls because of it.