Souness accuses Saka of simulating fouls

Graeme Souness accused Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka of simulating fouls, saying on a football programme that the England international goes to ground too easily and that simulation amounts to cheating. The remarks were made after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, but the available reports do not independently establish whether Saka simulated contact in any incident. Souness said Saka falls when he appears likely to lose possession and criticised Arsenal players for appealing to referees. He also argued that such appeals can influence officials’ decisions. His comments were directed at Saka during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored. The accusation followed Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest. Reports said Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams received a yellow card for a challenge involving what they described as minimal contact. That description and Souness’s assessment of the incident do not establish whether Saka deliberately simulated a foul. The reports also described Saka as the Premier League’s second-most-fouled player this season, behind Elliot Anderson. One account put the figures at 21 fouls against Saka and 23 against Anderson. The ranking...