TheCable

Despite losing the English FA Cup final to Arsenal, Chelsea’s manager Antonio Conte has put up a defence of his Nigerian wing-back Victor Moses who was red-carded for simulation.

Rather than blame Moses, Conte has said that the player is not a “cheat” but was most probably “tired”.

Moses was sent off in the 68th minute in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal – eleven minutes after he had been yellow-carded for a foul against Danny Welbeck.

“It’s not a good situation to dive, for sure, but Moses is an honest player and if he did this it’s only because he was tired,” Conte told Skysports.

“He didn’t want to cheat the referee,” he said. “I don’t think if my player dived he did it with a real intention of doing it.

“There is a lot of tension in these moments and sometimes you could be tired.

“We have arrived at the end of the season and many players are tired, and then there is a lot of pressure.

Earlier in May, the FA unveiled a new sanction for diving and it would be implemented next season.

The “successful deception of a match official” will see players banned for two games if found guilty of diving to win a penalty or to get an opponent sent off.