Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has defended striker Duk against accusations of diving.
Livingston assistant manager Marvin Bartley claimed Duk dived to win a penalty in Friday’s 4-1 defeat of Hibs.
Bartley made the accusation while speaking as a pundit on BBC’s Sportscene show.
Former Hibs midfielder Bartley will be in the dugout for Livingston in Tuesday’s night’s Premiership clash with Aberdeen at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Bartley claimed “it’s a dive for me” when analysing footage of the penalty incident where Hibs keeper David Marshall caught Duk.
The incident went to VAR with a penalty awarded.
Goodwin said: “I would defend my players to the hilt.
“If Duk was a diver, then I would be having strong words with him.
“My players aren’t encouraged to dive.
“I have heard comments from some people saying that they look for those situations.
“We don’t.
“When you watch it from behind the goal you can see that David Marshall’s left shoulder smashes into Duk’s knee.
“The VAR referee thought it was a penalty. The referee on the night thought it was a penalty.”
Goodwin aware of Bartley’s comment
The decision with Duk first went to VAR for an initial offside check.
When Duk was deemed to be onside there then followed another VAR check for a penalty.
When analysing the incident on BBCs Sportscene, Bartley said: “The fact that the decision has taken that long, over three minutes, screams to me that it is a dive.”
Bojan Miovski subsequently converted the penalty, but only after his first attempt had been saved.
A retake was ordered following a VAR check which adjudged Marshall to be off his line when Miovski struck the initial spot kick.
The Reds boss was initially hit with an eight-game ban, two suspended, for accusing Hibs’ defender Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating”.
That punishment was reduced by three games last Monday following an Appellate Appeal hearing at Hamdpen.
‘I question how current players and current managers can be pundits and give an honest assessment.’
Goodwin will not call for Bartley to be sanctioned for his comments, although he doesn’t like active managers or players being pundits.
He said: “I didn’t actually see the programme, but I am aware of what was said regarding the penalty incident.
“Football is all about opinions.
“Everything is open to people’s perception of incidents.
“I’m just glad that VAR was there on the night because the initial build-up play was flagged as offside.
“Thankfully VAR was there to over-rule that.
“Then the penalty is a penalty as far as I’m concerned. There is definitely contact.
“If the panel on Sportscene thought it wasn’t (a penalty), then I’m not going to fall out with anyone over it.
“I’m just glad the decision went in our favour.
“I have no issue with Marvin.
“When you are an employee of a club in the same league, then sometimes I question how current players and current managers can be pundits and give an honest assessment. Because you do run the risk of getting yourself in trouble.
“But I’m not going to be sitting here and asking the compliance officer to take a look at what Marvin has said.”
Aberdeen’s ‘disappointment’
Although Goodwin says he has “no issue” with Livingston assistant Bartley, he also insists people within the club were disappointed at the “dive” accusation.
He said: “I’m not bothered personally as a manager.
“As a club we are a little bit disappointed that one of our players has been called out like that when the verdict on the night from two qualified referees was that it was a penalty.”
Call to maintain winning momentum
Aberdeen will be without Jonny Hayes, Callum Roberts and Dante Polvara through injury for the clash at Livingston.
Goodwin has challenged his side to build on the momentum of the impressive defeat of Hibs which elevated the Dons to third in the Premiership.
He said: “After a result like Friday, you want to go and back it up again.
“We don’t have long to enjoy it with the Livingston game coming around so quickly.
“We were in on Sunday and we had a quick chat about Friday before looking at Livingston.
“I’ve never had an easy game at Livingston, as a player or manager.
“It’s a difficult venue and the surface isn’t ideal and they are going well.
“They have their own objectives, they are a few points behind us and Davie’s boys will be fired up for the game.”
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