Mauricio Pochettino knows all too well that English players aren’t angels.
It was in 2002 when Michael Owen — to quote Tottenham’s manager — ‘jumped like he was in a swimming pool’ to win a penalty against the then Argentina defender at the World Cup. Referee Pierluigi Collina pointed to the spot and David Beckham scored the only goal of the game.
Saturday saw Tottenham score five and the first was from a penalty, won by Dele Alli after the England international ran across Swansea defender Kyle Naughton.
The 20-year-old was accused of diving and, when asked if the English are too obsessed with simulation, Pochettino said: ‘Don’t believe that English football is always fair play because Owen jumped like he was in a swimming pool.