Jeffers rejects dive jibe

FA PREMIERSHIP: Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers last night defended his reputation in the face of accusations of diving by Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier.

Jeffers expressed his "extreme disappointment" at Houllier's angry reaction to the controversial way in which he had won Arsenal's penalty equaliser at Highbury on Sunday.

In a statement released on his behalf by Arsenal, the former Everton forward insisted he was an "honest player" and maintained he had not dived to win the spot-kick.

In the statement, Jeffers said: "I am extremely disappointed by comments attributed to Mr Houllier. I'm an honest player and I certainly didn't dive for the penalty.

"It was a great pass from Dennis Bergkamp and I saw two defenders close me down, so I let the ball run past me. As I've turned and started to run, John Arne Riise grabbed me and also clipped my heel.

"It's as simple as that, it was a penalty. The referee was quick to blow to award the penalty and the linesman was even quicker to put his flag up. I don't have to defend myself. I know it was a penalty and the ref also said it was clear cut and that's all that matters."

Houllier had nevertheless been angered at the way Jeffers made the most of the contact with Riise shortly after coming on as a 77th-minute substitute when his side trailed 1-0.

As a result, Thierry Henry equalised from the spot to give Arsenal the draw which moved them five points clear at the top of the table and maintained their nine-point advantage over Liverpool.

Houllier declared last night: "I'm not blaming Mr (Jeff) Winter as he was conned by the dive of the player. I asked John Arne Riise and he's very honest and fair, and he said he didn't pull the shirt. He was very unhappy as he felt it was unfair.

"If a penalty is given every time there's physical contact between two players in the box and the striker dives, as Jeffers did - and he's a great comedian, by the way, with that dive - there would be 50 of them every game."

Houllier, whose side had taken the lead with a penalty converted by Danny Murphy, insisted it should have been Jeffers who was shown the yellow card, rather than Riise.

"What I can't accept is he gave a yellow card so I hope the referee will review his decision and rescind that card. The one who should have got the card was the diver," he added.

"I have sympathy for the referee as it happened quickly at the end of the game in a lot of rain, but I'm very angry at Jeffers as he has more qualities than doing that.

"You've got to trust the referee and, in that circumstance, he probably didn't have a good angle. But there's no ambiguity on the video - it was not a penalty."

Arsene manager Arsene Wenger defended Jeffers last night: "I've seen it again and I don't think Franny went down. I think he was caught on his left leg and didn't have a choice but to go down."