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08th Mar 2016

More than 2,000 sign online petition to dock Liverpool points for Benteke ‘dive’

They want Benteke banned too

Tom Victor

We can understand Crystal Palace supporters being frustrated after seeing their team beaten by a 95th-minute penalty from Liverpool’s Christian Benteke.

But you know things have gone a bit far when an online petition is launched calling for their opponents to be docked points, just because you believe one of their players is guilty of simulation.

The petition, launched by one Adam Greeves, has already gained more than 2,000 supporters.

It follows extensive social media noise from Palace fans, many of whom felt Benteke dived under minimal contact from Damien Delaney in stoppage time during the game at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Premier League

‘We, fans of Crystal Palace, demand that the FA look into this decision and if found that Christian Benteke did simulate contact he should be banned for a number of games and Liverpool Football Club “LFC” to be fined 6 points at a minimum,’ Greeves writes.

‘We understand that the result of the game cannot be changed but the FA need to come down on this sort of behaviour.’

Liverpool, who played the last half-hour a man light after James Milner’s sending off, moved up to 7th place in the Premier League table with the win.

Palace, who are yet to record a league win this calendar year, are 15th.