Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has admitted that he is concerned that midfielder Eden Hazard is suffering from winning three penalties in the first month of his Chelsea career.
Hazard has had numerous penalty appeals turned down in recent weeks, and Di Matteo has encouraged the Belgian playmaker to remain on his feet to avoid being regarded as someone who goes down too easily.
Di Matteo told The Times: "The first three penalties he got in the first few games were clear-cut penalties, but there were a few others where he didn't get them so I wouldn't want the officials to have a prejudice against him.
"If it's a foul, it's a foul. Sometimes they get them right, sometimes wrong.
"I wouldn't accuse my players of going down too easily. It's a different culture. In England, you need to try everything to stay on your feet."
The 22-year-old has scored two goals in 12 appearances since joining Chelsea during the summer.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
