MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER David Moyes defended Adnan Januzaj after he was booked for simulation in the side’s 3-1 win over West Ham.
Januzaj scored an excellent goal for United to double their lead during the first half on Saturday at Old Trafford, showing excellent skill to skip past James Collins and place an effort beyond West Ham goalkeeper Adrian.
Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young also scored for the Premier League champions as United moved to seventh, but 18-year-old Januzaj was booked for diving late in the first half.
The teenager has already been booked for simulation this season – in the same match he scored twice on his full debut at Sunderland – but although Moyes reiterated his stance against diving, after previously speaking out against Young for it, he stood up for Januzaj.
Asked if he supported players diving, Moyes said: “Definitely not. I’ve had a chance to see it and I think he believes he is going to get sized.
“He has been kicked in every game, upside down. But we will make sure and do everything that we can to make sure it doesn’t happen.
“Everybody can see the talent the boy has got. He has got great composure and he is a very good player.
“He is 18 – he has had a lot of games – maybe more than he would have thought. I thought he has warranted his place, though.”
Moyes hailed his team for their professional display against West Ham after United won a league match at Old Trafford for the first time in nearly six weeks.
“We are (delighted). We are pleased,” he added.
“We played well, we scored three goals and on another day we might have scored more.”
Moyes added that striker Welbeck – who went off early in the second half with an injury – was suffering from a knee problem, while he also lauded the efforts of substitute Young.
Young, who also scored in United’s 2-0 League Cup win at Stoke City on Wednesday, came off the bench to seal the win before Carlton Cole’s late consolation.
On Young’s goal, Moyes said: “It was a magnificent finish.
“He got a great goal in midweek and really made sure he put the game to bed with his goal.”
