Hodgson: I don’t think it was a dive

England manager Roy Hodgson has defended Leicester City top scorer Jamie Vardy, saying he doesn’t believe the striker dived in Sunday’s clash with West Ham United.

In what was a hotly-contested encounter at the King Power Stadium, Vardy opened the scoring for the Foxes before received his marching orders in the second half after picking up his second yellow card of the game.

Referee Jon Moss adjudged the England international to have to ground too easily, sparking an angry reaction from the England international.

And while admitting that he didn’t think Leicester should have been awarded a penalty, Hodgson said he didn’t think Vardy deserved to booked either.

“I think he was unbalanced. I don’t think it was a penalty either, I think he was unbalanced, running at that speed,” Hodgson said.

“I think there was a very slight sort of contact with the defender, who was trying to cover.

“I think he went down, he lost his balance. I don’t think he was trying to dive.

“But of course all the pundits I hear they say, ‘He dived, look how he dived’. I don’t see it. I really don’t, I’m sorry.

“I wouldn’t blame him for that. I sympathise with him, I think he was very, very unlucky.

“When you get sent off for something where he obviously feels like I feel – there is no doubt he is of that opinion.

“But now he has had to swallow the fact that he has been made to leave the field and then, unfortunately, he has reacted like sometimes human beings react.

“He hasn’t just said to the ref, ‘Thanks very much, I understand’ and shakes hands and ‘Have a good game’.

“He has called him a few names, but he is a human being and that can happen.

“But I think our disciplinary record over the last few years has been pretty good.

“I think it will remain good, but I can’t guarantee you that a Vardy, a Rooney, or a Dele Alli, or anyone else for that matter, is not going to do that.”