With just over five minutes gone in Manchester United’s FA Cup Quarter-Final clash against Norwich, Eric Bailly shocked some fans with a terrible dive.
The centre-back, who was making just his seventh appearance for the side this season after constant injury troubles, leapt through the air like a salmon after a light barge/shove from Kenny McLean.
It looked as though Bailly really used some build-up to propel himself into the air and onto the ground, the referee didn’t punish the defender for his theatrics.
Bailly played 96 minutes for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side before being replaced by Anthony Martial.
Take a look at the Ivorian’s antics below:
Dive from Eric Bailly? ?#NORMUN live:
Watch ? https://t.co/IQvwYDcJBg
Follow ? https://t.co/WLjgiL73Vn
Listen ? https://t.co/HK5KFgBZKH#bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/zqzP0HgDfs— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 27, 2020
Pictures from BBC.
Here’s some reaction to the centre-back’s theatrics:
Funniest ever lmao ?
— Fergus the fox (@BrokvilleFC) June 27, 2020
Tom Daley would be proud of that one
— RockNRun85 (@RockNRun85) June 27, 2020
Triple pike with double tuck.
Tom Daley would have been proud.
— Jonny B Badde (@jonny_b_badde) June 27, 2020
Got to start banning players for stuff like this, stamp it out of the game
— Owen (@Owenltfc_) June 27, 2020
WOW!! Instant 3 match ban simple absolute joke
— Phil greaves (@Philgreaves81) June 27, 2020
People slating jeans but he called this right. Terrible dive.
— Bearcub (@thedamnedmanBC) June 27, 2020
Clear dive and it’s not the only one. United players going down so easy
— Scott Marrison (@Scoot1975) June 27, 2020
Jokers, no place in our game for cheats?????
— West Country Toon Man (@toon_west) June 27, 2020
The fact that a couple of fans have even likened Bailly’s effort to one that British diving superstar Tom Daley would be ‘proud’ of says it all really.
Whilst most can look back at this in a fairly light-hearted manner, it does highlight a serious problem that needs stamping out of the beautiful game.