Wayne Rooney dive: Manchester United striker DID simulate for FA Cup penalty against Preston

The Manchester United and England captain has been criticised for allegedly diving in the 3-1 FA Cup win over Preston

Wayne Rooney wins a penalty after going down under the challenge of Thorsten Stuckmann (Getty Images)

Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney was voted the man of the match during Manchester United's 3-1 FA Cup victory over Preston North End by the BBC, but he found himself at the centre of a diving row following the incident that led to his second-half penalty.

One-on-one with goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann, Rooney reached the ball first to nudge it away from goal, before appearing to be tripped by the Preston man. Referee Phil Dowd had little hesitation in awarding a penalty and booking the German.

Rooney stepped up to send a thunderous penalty into the roof of the net to make it 3-1 and ensure Manchester United advanced to a quarter-final FA Cup tie with Arsenal. But replays quickly revealed that there was no contact between the pair whatsoever.

Some, including England manager Roy Hodgson and former Manchester United defender Phil Neville, argued that Rooney was forced to take evasive action, but both Kevin Kilbane and Gary Lineker labelled Rooney's fall to the floor a dive.

Wayne Rooney goes down after being challenged by goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann (Getty Images)

But what did readers of The Independent think? We asked whether Rooney dived, was fouled or the game should have carried on without stoppage.

'Dive' was the clear winner - with 76 per cent and well over a thousand of you casting their vote that way. 18 per cent believe the Manchester United captain did not dive, whilst 6 per cent felt it was neither a dive nor a penalty.