Redknapp suggests Tottenham’s Dele Alli’s reaction to diving criticism

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Dele Alli came in for plenty of criticism following Tottenham Hotspur’s win in the Premier League at the weekend.

Jamie Redknapp has told the Daily Mail that he is not sure that Dele Alli will care about the criticism that comes his way after the Tottenham star was slated once again for going down too easily inside the box.

Alli has been booked for diving on a couple of occasions this term, and there were some who felt that he should have seen yellow once again at Selhurst Park on Sunday as he went over Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Despite the contact, Alli was heavily criticised as replays showed that he was already heading to ground before Hennessey collided with him. But Redknapp is not sure that the criticism is getting through to the Spurs star – who he labelled the worst offender in the Premier League when it comes to diving right now.

“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 told the Daily Mail.

“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.”

On his day, Alli is one of the top flight’s best players and has proven that by scoring 33 league goals since making his debut for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, while he has also contributed 23 assists in that time.

He is currently going through a disappointing run of form, having not scored since Spurs’ first game of 2018, while he has only provided two assists since then also.

Alli is certainly not the only player who should be criticised for how easily they tend to go down inside the box. And while Redknapp does not believe that the England international will care about the criticism and will continue to try and deceive the officials when the chance presents itself, it is perhaps time for the governing bodies to introduce a much better system that ensures that simulation is punished regardless of whether it deceives the referee or not.