Wilfried Zaha Slams Critics Over Diving Accusations After Palace's Draw With Bournemouth

Wilfried Zaha has slammed certain football fans who keep accusing him of diving and claimed that they would only be happy if he broke his leg.

The Crystal Palace attacker has come in for fierce criticism from some quarters recently for the manner with which he has won a number of spot kicks for his side as evidenced in the 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth.

Zaha took to his Instagram account to blast those who wished harm on him and stated that he was merely just a prime target for supporters to pick on due to his fleet-footedness and turn of pace.

Bournemouth were left incensed by what they believed to be clear simulation from Zaha as he won the first penalty at Selhurst Park last Saturday.

The winger's trailing leg connected with Cherries keeper Asmir Begovic and resulted in a spot kick being awarded to Roy Hodgson's men - a penalty that they duly dispatched to level the scores.

Zaha has been accused of going down easily under challenges, particularly inside the penalty area, in the past as well and some football supporters have called on the Football Association to act on his dives.

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Ironically, it was against Palace that the FA took action and banned the first Premier League star under their new "successful deception of a match official" rule - Everton's Oumar Niasse - in November after he was adjudged to have dived against the Londoners to win the Toffees a penalty.

Former referee Mark Halsey stated his belief that the FA must be more consistent in their approach, and said that Zaha deserved to be banned under the laws of the new ruling.

He told The Sun: "In my view, Zaha is looking to deceive the referee. If the FA are going to be consistent, having charged Everton’s Oumar Niasse last month, they have surely got to be looking at doing the same with Zaha. I don’t think the first one was a penalty."