Manuel Lanzini charged by FA for diving against Stoke City

FA has charged Manuel Lanzini for diving in the Premier League game against Stoke City

West Ham playmaker Manuel Lanzini has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for diving during Saturday’s Premier League win at Stoke.

The Argentine fell to the ground as he was challenged by defender Erik Pieters and the Hammers were awarded a penalty, which put them 1-0 up in a 3-0 victory.

Lanzini has until 18:00 GMT on Tuesday, 19 December to respond to the charge.

If the charge is upheld, he is set to get a two-match ban for ‘successful deception of a match official’.

That would rule him out of Tuesday’s League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal and Premier League game at home against Newcastle on Saturday.

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The FA panel includes one former match official, one ex-manager and one ex-player, and all three had to agree for a ban to be enforced.

Everton forward Oumar Niasse was the first Premier League player to be banned for diving after new FA laws to punish simulation were introduced in May.

He was banned for two games after winning a controversial penalty, under pressure from Scott Dann, in a draw at Crystal Palace on 18 November.