KOP News # 1086

I DID NOT DIVE INSISTS JAMES PERCH

 

James Perch has hit back at claims he play-acted to earn Pepe Reina a red card

Friday April 6,2012

By Daily Express reporter

JAMES PERCH has hit back at claims he play-acted to earn Pepe Reina a red card.

Newcastle defender Perch has finally broken his silence on the flashpoint that saw Liverpool keeper Reina hit with a three-match ban to rule him out of the Wembley FA cup semi-final with Everton.

Centre-back Perch, 26, insists he did not dive, claiming Reina had to go after losing his cool and aiming a head-butt at him, as Kenny Dalglish's Kop flops slid to their latest defeat.

Gearing up for the trip to Swansea today, where a fourth straight win would push Alan Pardew's side up to fifth, Perch said: "I'm not a diver. People who have seen me play know what kind of player I am.

"I'm not going to go and dive about and act silly. But if someone makes contact with you, that's it.

I'm not going to go and dive about and act silly

James Perch

"He shouldn't have done it and I know deep down he'll think that because it has cost them. It's his actions that have caused it."

Danny Guthrie (calf) joins crocked Toon skipper Fabricio Coloccini on the sidelines today, but Ryan Taylor is back from injury.

Meanwhile, striker Danny Graham has been tipped to end his goal drought by shooting down his boyhood club Newcastle's Europa League hopes.

Graham, Swansea's £3.5million record signing – an avid fan of the Toon Army – has not scored in his past six Premier League games, his longest run without finding the net this season.

But team-mate Nathan Dyer is backing Graham to add to his 10 top-flight goals against Alan Pardew's sixth-placed outfit at the Liberty Stadium.

Winger Dyer said: "This is a game Danny will be pumped up for because he is from Newcastle. I'm sure he will try his best to get on the scoresheet.

"Strikers go through patches where they don't score for a couple of games and then score constantly.

"Everybody doubted Danny at the start of the season, but his finishing ability is of the highest level."