Arsenal defender defines Suárez as a 'cheat'

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has came out to add more spice to the controversy around Liverpool striker Luis Suárez, slamming the Uruguayan as a “cheat”.

Suarez has drawn the ire of the likes of FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce from Ireland, who publicly said the Sout American was “a cancer for football” because of his theatrical dives; and Stoke City manager Tony Pulis in recent weeks for a dive during the Reds' match against the Potters.

Now, Koscielny has joined the criticism of the Uruguay international, naming him as the striker he enjoys facing least because of his style of play.

“A striker that I hate to mark? Luis Suárez,” Koscielny told L'Equipe.

“He is hard to take. He cheats, pulls your shirt and gives you little kicks. You always want to give him a kick but you have to be careful not to be red carded.”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers slammed “the vilification of Luis” as “both wrong and unfair”, while Suárez himself has insisted that his “conscience is clean”.