Gabriel Jesus strikes the ball
Gabriel Jesus was guilty of dramatics against Manchester United (Picture: Reuters)

Mark Clattenburg expects Gabriel Jesus to face a two-match ban after he appeared to dive against Manchester United.

Manchester City beat their bitter rivals 2-1 at Old Trafford, but United fans were enraged to see Jesus try and con the referee in the first half.

Jesus went down under the slightest of touches from Chris Smalling and Clattenburg expects the FA to look at the dive again.

Everton striker Oumar Niasse was the first Premier League player to be hit with a retrospective two-match ban for diving after he went down in the box in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.

And Clattenburg expects Jesus to suffer the same fate.

Gabriel Jesus goes down dramatically under the challenge of Chris Smalling
Jesus goes down under a challenge (Picture: Sky Sports)

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‘The incident in the first half is a dive from Gabriel Jesus,’ Clattenburg wrote in the Times.

‘If there is some contact with Chris Smalling, it must be the slightest contact, and he twists his body to make it look like he has been fouled.

‘That’s a dive. I think we will see that being looked at by the Premier League and it will be interesting.

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‘There will be a referee, an ex-player and an ex-manager on the panel and it will depend on what the latter two say.

‘The referee will say that it’s a dive but it will have to be a 3-0 verdict for him to receive a ban.’

Jose Mourinho hit out at referee Michael Oliver for refusing to award a penalty when Ander Herrera went down in the area.

Ander Herrera reacts with his head in his hands after he is denied a penalty
Ander Herrera was booked for diving (Picture: Getty)
Ander Herrera confronts Nicolas Otamendi
(Picture: Getty)

Herrera was brandished a yellow card for simulation and Clattenburg explained that means the Spaniard is safe from further punishment.

‘Ander Herrera’s booking was for a clear dive after he brushed past Nicolas Otamendi and a yellow card was the correct punishment by the referee, Michael Oliver.

‘Jose Mourinho may disagree but that’s mind games. Mourinho actually had a go at me last year in the same fixture, after I didn’t award a penalty for a Claudio Bravo foul on Wayne Rooney, and he was right on that occasion, but I think when he watches the video of this incident he will realise it was a dive.

Pep Guardiola speaks with Gabriel Jesus
(Picture: Reuters)

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‘It’s strange that Jesus didn’t get cautioned but could end up serving a two-match suspension, while Herrera is free to play next weekend.

‘The punishment should be the same but the law states that Herrera, left, has been dealt with.

‘There is an imbalance there. They committed the same offence but they could get a different punishment.’

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