Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has insisted that Ashley Young does not deserve to be labelled as a diver.

The Manchester United winger has been criticised for going to ground too easily when under pressure from defenders, but Lambert says that Young's actions are not deliberate.

"I don't think he dives intentionally. He tries to do things on the pitch, sometimes he gets caught," Lambert is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

"They move so quickly, the slightest nick can send them over. It's up to the referee.

"In any dangerous situation as a defender you must be sure. You can't just bring him down. I say that about every player — not just Ashley Young."

Young claimed earlier this week that he wasn't worried about his reputation for diving.