Marcus Rashford refutes claims he dived to win penalty against Swansea

The Manchester United striker was felled by Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski but replays appeared to suggest there was little or no contact between the two

Ben Burrows
Monday 01 May 2017 05:33 EDT
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Marcus Rashford has come under fire for his actions in the run-up to United's first goal against Swansea
Marcus Rashford has come under fire for his actions in the run-up to United's first goal against Swansea (Getty)

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Marcus Rashford apparently told Jose Mourinho he didn't dive to win a penalty against Swansea.

The Manchester United striker was felled by Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski before Wayne Rooney’s opening goal but replays appeared to suggest there was little or no contact between the two.

Mourinho refused to comment on the incident claiming he couldn’t see it from his point of view but claims Rashford told him that Fabianksi clipped him.

"I don't have a view because I didn't watch," he said. "And I have Marcus' opinion and he said that the goalkeeper touched him."

Swansea manager Paul Clement saw the incident very differently claiming Rashford deliberately “deceived” referee Neil Swarbrick with his actions.

"My initial thought at the time, seeing how my players reacted to it, was that they clearly thought it wasn’t,” he said after the game. “I've seen the replay and the player has deceived the referee. It’s clear, there’s no other way to look at it.

"I thought when he blew the whistle that he had some doubts because there was a significant delay between the incident and the whistle going.


Rashford appeared to go to ground very softly 

 Rashford appeared to go to ground very softly 
 (Getty)

"But I spoke to him afterwards and he said he was only receiving confirmation from his assistants that it was. They had seen what he had seen, but it was a mistake.

"I don’t even think he initiated contact. He’s gone down way before there’s contact."

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