Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce says Morten Gamst Pedersen DID DIVE against Arsenal.

Allardyce made no attempt to justify Pedersen's actions in the 4-0 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday, but argued that referees' chief Keith Hackett could help eliminate simulation from the game by offering flair players greater protection.

Speaking at a Barclays Football Writers' Association lunch at Haydock Park, Allardyce said: "It was nearly as good as a Ronaldo dive, but he is certainly not alone in doing things like that.

"He is one of many Premier League players who are guilty of diving, but the bottom line is simple enough. Until Keith Hackett decides that fouls should still be given for players who manage to stay on their feet, then people will always cheat.

"I would rather he did not do it at all and there can be no doubt it should have been a straightforward yellow card. But what about players who are dishing out fouls all the time? I would like to see them being punished, not least because it would mean those on the receiving end would not need to resort to diving.

"It just strikes me at the moment that when a player stays on his feet, a referee thinks: 'That can't have been a foul, because he's still standing. It doesn't look like a foul to me, so I won't give it'.

"That's where the frustration creeps in. Players feel they are being denied what is due them and start wondering if there is any point trying to stay on their feet.

"They inevitably reach the conclusion that, next time there is any contact, they might as well go down. Even if the contact is slighter than before, the inclination is to hit the deck and see what happens.

"In fairness to Morten, I think he tripped himself up. He caught his own leg but thought the contact had come from a defender, so down he went."