Bukayo Saka is the fourth most fouled player in the Premier League this season (Photo: Getty)
David Seaman has urged footballers including Arsenal star Bukayo Saka to stop feigning injury every time they are fouled.
Much has been made of the rough treatment Saka receives on the pitch, with the England winger one of the most targeted and fouled players in the Premier League.
Remarkably, despite this he rarely misses a game for his club, but though he himself just sees it as part of the game, Arsenal registered a complaint with PGMOL earlier this season, asking for more protection for their talisman.
Last weekend, the 22-year-old was once again on the receiving end of a brutal challenge from Ryan Christie in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
There were fears he would have to come off, but Saka recovered, going onto score the opening goal from the penalty spot, while Christie somehow avoided a yellow card, let alone a red.
‘When I saw the tackle, straight away I was like “that’s a red card!”,’ legendary Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman exclaimed on the Seaman Says podcast.
‘He went over the top of the ball but then caught him on his knee and then dragged it down his shin.
David Seaman isn’t impressed by Saka and others’ antics (Photo: YouTube)
‘It weren’t even a yellow card. I know the VAR can’t give him a yellow card, they can only deal in reds.’
However, Seaman went onto express his frustration at players like Saka continually calling for the medical staff after every foul, saying that should be reserved for when a player needs to come off because of an injury.
‘He needs to pack in that waving all the time as well because that’s normally used as a signal to the physio bench when you are in trouble,’ Seaman added.
Bruno Guimaraes is the most fouled player in the Premier League this season (Photo: Getty)
‘It’s not just Saka, I’ve seen a lot of other players doing it as well now. That was always the signal that you’re really hurt so that they can get ready really quickly to get on as soon as the ref signals to them.
‘But players are doing it now, they’re doing that signal and then they’re getting up and they’re not even receiving treatment.
‘They will try all sorts trust me, they’re rule benders!’
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Such incidents are common in the game, with some players exaggerating their condition in order to time waste or slow the game down, though of course this is not always the case.
Seaman was also surprised to learn that Saka – contrary to popular opinion – is not the most fouled player in the top-flight.
In fact, as the season comes to a close he only ranks fourth on 68 fouls, behind Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes (96), Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew (93) and West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus (74).
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