Robin van Persie insists that he is not diver, but the Arsenal forward concedes he has exaggerated contact to ensure the referee did not miss a genuine foul.
The Dutchman's comments come just a month after his team mate Eduardo was caught in a diving storm.
"Yes, I have done that," said van Persie when The Times asked if he had ever exaggerated upon being touched.
"Sometimes when you are in the middle of an action and you get a little push and you know there's nothing more to take. Basically, the guy pushed you and finished the whole action.
"Then you're in the right to show, in a way, to the referee that you've been pushed. Know what I mean?
"That's not really diving. It's just showing: 'Come on, he just pushed me, so I can't score now.'
"You sometimes have a little movement with your arms or with your body, but I don't think that's really cheating.
"I never have the intention to dive. Just to play honest football. I am against divers. It is just not honest, but it is difficult.
"But sometimes you are knocked off balance a bit and it looks a bit funny.
"For example at Manchester United (in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford last month). After the whole Eduardo thing, when I had the ball on the right side and I cut it back.
"(Patrice) Evra gave me a little push - a really little one - but it sort of outbalanced me. I just fell down and the whole stadium started to boo me. I was like: 'Come on, can't you see he pushed me?'
"Some people don't see these little pushes and they can give you a whole different picture to what the situation really is."
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The Dutchman's comments come just a month after his team mate Eduardo was caught in a diving storm.
"Yes, I have done that," said van Persie when The Times asked if he had ever exaggerated upon being touched.
"Sometimes when you are in the middle of an action and you get a little push and you know there's nothing more to take. Basically, the guy pushed you and finished the whole action.
"Then you're in the right to show, in a way, to the referee that you've been pushed. Know what I mean?
"That's not really diving. It's just showing: 'Come on, he just pushed me, so I can't score now.'
"You sometimes have a little movement with your arms or with your body, but I don't think that's really cheating.
"I never have the intention to dive. Just to play honest football. I am against divers. It is just not honest, but it is difficult.
"But sometimes you are knocked off balance a bit and it looks a bit funny.
"For example at Manchester United (in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford last month). After the whole Eduardo thing, when I had the ball on the right side and I cut it back.
"(Patrice) Evra gave me a little push - a really little one - but it sort of outbalanced me. I just fell down and the whole stadium started to boo me. I was like: 'Come on, can't you see he pushed me?'
"Some people don't see these little pushes and they can give you a whole different picture to what the situation really is."
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