Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh believes the penalty he won on Saturday against Birmingham was a fair one, rubbishing reports that he dived.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the Moroccan explained how there was contact and it was up to the referee to decide whether to give the penalty or not. The striker said how he was tripped which was ultimately the reason why he went to ground.

During his first months at Arsenal, the 26-year was heavily criticised for going down way too easily and will have to be careful if he is not to be labeled as a diver by the British press.

The Gunners will face FC Shakhtar Donetsk in tonight’s Champions League action with Croatian striker Eduardo set to make an emotional comeback in what was his stadium for more then two years.

On the Birmingham game, Chamakh said:

There was definitely a contact – the Birmingham defender touched me and then it was all about the ref, to give it or not.

For me there was contact, he definitely touched me and then the referee judged.

If they think it is not a penalty then they can be disappointed but for me I was definitely touched and I fell because I was touched otherwise I wouldn’t have fallen down in the area.

If they believe it was not a foul and they were one-nil up and obviously it changes the game a bit then it’s normal that they will feel disappointed now. But for me it was definitely a penalty.