Everton manager Marco Silva has hit out at claims that Richarlison is a ‘diver’.
Silva brought the Brazil international to the Premier League while at Watford and made the young forward one of his first signings in the Goodison Park hot seat.
Richarlison cut a frustrated figure in the Blues’ draw with Tottenham last weekend after several fouls on him by Davinson Sanchez went unpunished.
But Silva insists that the 22-year-old’s dubious reputation is an unjust one and pointed out that the £40million signing has never been booked for simulation.
He said: “There are two different things I want to talk about.
“First, he’s (Richarlison) receiving feedback from myself and the staff.
“I was responsible for him coming to the Premier League and I’m 100% sure I took the right decision in that moment two seasons ago.
“And I took the right decision again to give the feedback for our club to sign him.
“We are working with him to be more strong. The Premier League is really tough.
“The second point, Richarlison is not a diver at all.
“I will tell all of you one thing, Richarlison has zero yellow cards in the Premier League for diving – zero.
“We need to manage Richarlison in the right way, to stand as much as he can, to respect the decisions all these things.
“For sure we are doing that and for sure the referees will protect all the players in the same way.”