Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has claimed that his teammate Diego Costa "likes to cheat", but insists that the players are "proud" to have the controversial striker in their ranks.
The Spaniard's fiery temper bubbled over in the Blues' 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The 26-year-old was cautioned by referee Mike Dean after a confrontation with Gabriel Paulista, who was later sent off for kicking out at his opponent.
Prior to that, the Chelsea striker caught Laurent Koscielny in the face with a swinging arm, but he went unpunished.
When asked about Costa's conduct by beIN Sport, Zouma said: "No, we're not surprised because we know Diego. Everyone knows Diego and this guy likes to cheat a lot and put the opponent out of his game.
"That happened in the game but he's a really nice guy. We're proud to have him, like the other players, and we're happy to win this."
The Football Association will reportedly discuss whether further action should be taken against Costa.
Danielle Joynson
