Euro rivals must ban diving too, says Rio as Moyes warns Young over future conduct

Rio Ferdinand believes that English football can only clamp down on diving when the whole of European football agrees to do the same.
Ferdinand’s Manchester United colleague Ashley Young has been heavily criticised after diving to try to win a penalty during his team’s Barclays Premier League win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday.


But although United manager David Moyes admitted that he has spoken to Young in the wake of the incident, former England defender Ferdinand has cautioned against a national witch-hunt against players who fall too easily. 

Plenty to ponder: Rio Ferdinand believes the whole of Europe needs to clamp down on diving 

Moyes can't be sure that Ashley Young won't dive again in...

‘If it’s going to happen, it’s got to happen across the board, not just in our league,’ said Ferdinand.
‘It’s got to happen across Europe, because, for instance, you go in the Champions League after we’re being told in the Premier League you’re not meant to dive and so on.
‘Then you go in the Champions League and you’ve got to face certain countries who are simulating. So it’s difficult.’
Moyes confirmed ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League game with Bayer Leverkusen at Old Trafford that he has warned Young to be careful about his conduct and backed calls for video analysis of suspicious incidents. The United manager said: ‘I can never be sure it won’t happen again. But I have had a word with him privately.

All smiles: Ashley Young (left) returned to training after diving against Crystal Palace on Saturday (below)

‘I said after the game, and it’s something I’ve said for years, that we should have retrospective video action for diving.
‘That would help referees no end. It’s really difficult at times. But my view hasn’t changed from when I was at Everton to where I am now at Manchester United.
‘We can make up all the things we like about punishment, but the rules are there. 
‘The referees have got the rules they have to abide by. The referee on Saturday did what he had to do and gave him (Young) a yellow card.’

Sufficient punishment? Ashley Young was booked by referee Jon Moss for diving in the penalty area

Referee Jon Moss paid the price for the controversy when he was left off the list for this weekend’s Premier League matches.
Palace chairman Steve Parish insisted that players caught diving should be handed straight red cards. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Parish said: ‘If preventing a goal-scoring opportunity is a straight red then trying to create one by cheating should be a straight red also. 
‘Ashley Young’s dive and the appeal before put pressure on the ref to give a subsequent penalty that was certainly outside the area and probably wasn’t even a foul.’
Meanwhile, Howard Webb has been given the job of refereeing the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday.