David Ngog’s agent has leapt to the Liverpool striker’s defence in the face of stinging criticism over his apparent dive in Monday’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham.

The 21-year-old Frenchman was branded a cheat by City’s Lee Carsley and former Liverpool star Ian St John labelled him as “an embarrassment to himself and Liverpool”.

However, his agent Bruno Satin insisted: “He wouldn’t try and con the ref.

“He’s a lad with very good education, correct and polite. He doesn’t look for these things. He’s never had a problem of this type before in his career.

“Maybe he fell down because he was worried about being injured. At times players make very hard challenges in England. They allow a lot of things to defenders in the Premier League. At times it’s really on the limit.

“Sometimes there are challenges that can assassinate you. Did the defender put the safety of the player in danger? You have to look at things in a more reasonable proportion.”

St John was scathing in his criticism of Ngog, saying: “I hate this so called simulation, which we know as cheating.

“I’ve always been Didier Drogba’s severest critic. I can’t excuse Ngog just because he’s a Liverpool player. It was an embarrassment to the player and to the club.

“I have to say there’s more of it now than there was in my day. Maybe it’s because the game is faster and defenders don’t stay on their feet as they used to.

“We were always told ‘don’t go to ground’ and Carsley didn’t need to slide in like he did. But that still doesn’t excuse Ngog.”