Arsenal star Bukayo Saka receives severe criticism from Souness

Graeme Souness has launched a fierce attack on Bukayo Saka, accusing the Arsenal winger of going to ground too easily and using “simulation” to win decisions.

The former Liverpool captain’s comments are likely to divide opinion, particularly because Saka remains one of the Premier League’s most frequently fouled attackers and regularly receives heavy physical treatment from defenders.

Still, Souness believes the England international crosses the line too often.

Souness accuses Arsenal star Saka of ‘simulation’

Speaking on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored, Souness did not hold back.

“Your man Saka dives all over the place. I don’t want to hear about him. The minute he looks like losing possession, he’s down,” Souness said, as reported by Mirror.

“He simulates a foul. Anyone who simulates a foul in my book would be a cheat.

“He dives when he should be staying on his feet. He’s not alone. So Saka gets tackled, he screams as he’s going down. The referee thinks there’s nothing in that but wait a minute, he’s stayed down. And then worse than that, everyone in the immediate area – all Arsenal players – put their hands up and scream foul.

“The referee at that point panics and blows his whistle when it wasn’t a foul – his first instinct was the right one. But he blows a foul because he’s thinking, wait a minute, something I’m not understanding here.

“Simulation is a form of cheating, yes. But it’s all over football today. If you asked 100 people what is it you dislike about the modern game, 50 per cent would say simulation, another 50 per cent would say VAR.”