Graeme Souness has damaged his reputation as a pundit for his dig at Bukayo Saka – rival fans wouldn’t even give his view any oxygen.That is the explosive verdict of Broadcaster and Arsenal fan Harry Symeou, who believes the harmful opinion needs calling out.Saka consistently draws more fouls than the majority of his rivalsGettyLiverpool legend Souness hit the headlines this week for his explosive attack on Saka after the Gunners beat Nottingham Forest 1-0.The 73-year-old accused the England international of being ‘a cheat’ who ‘dives all over the place’ on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored.Saka cheat claim so far wide of the markSaka drew three fouls at the City Ground, one of which saw Neco Williams receive a caution despite making minimal contact.However, while appearing on Rushden and Baker, Arsenal fan Symeou leapt to the defence of the 25-year-old winger.He told talkSPORT: “To single out Bukayo Saka for this when it’s something that we do have too much of in our game.“Let’s not deny that. We do see it a lot. We see players simulating in a bid to win penalties. “We see them trying to win free kicks when they think that maybe they’re going to lose the ball when they want to run the clock down.“There are all sorts of scenarios where this type of thing comes into play. But to specifically brand Bukayo Saka a cheat, I think, is so wide of the mark it’s unreal.“It’s a shame that people like Graham Souness, who I’ve got immense respect for based on his playing career, incredible playing career, was a really, really good pundit in my book a little while ago, but has felt the need that maybe because he’s joined certain shows and certain company that he needs to be super controversial and start throwing around silly lines like that. Saka is the second-most fouled player in the Premier League this termGettySouness has made himself look terrible“I think he’s made himself look terrible,” Symeou continued. “I think any respect that a lot of people had for Graham Souness as the pundit has maybe been damaged by this.“You can talk to rival fans as well; it’s not just because I’m an Arsenal fan – Very few would share this opinion. “Very few would give this oxygen anyway. I just think it’s crazy, to be honest.”talkSPORT co-host Charlie Baker then referenced Saka’s England teammate Rio Ngumoha, who avoided going to ground while dribbling past Sergi Cardona en route to assisting Alexis Mac Allister in Liverpool’s 4-3 Champions League win over Villarreal.The question was put to Symeou whether the referee would have drawn play back for a foul had Mac Allister not found the net.Ngumoha stayed on his feet to become the youngest-ever player to assist a goal for Liverpool in the Champions LeagueGettyHe replied: “As officials, guys, they’ve got a responsibility to still pull up fouls even if they don’t result in the player going down.“What you need to do is essentially make players feel comfortable that even if they try and stay on their feet, if there was a foul committed, that will be punished. “But to go back to the original point – Of all the people in the world to brand as a cheat and a simulator and a diver…to pick on Bukayo Saka, who’s probably got one of the best reputations actually in English football in terms of his conduct and his personality and the kind of guy he is. I just think he’s so far off the mark, it’s unbelievable.“Someone who’s played the game at that level, who’s been a pundit at that level, should know a hell of a lot better than that.“And it’s really, really disappointing to hear.”Souness branded simulation as a form of ‘cheating’ when hitting out at the way in which Saka wins foulsGettyThe stats also support Saka, with Arsenal’s No.7 the second-most fouled player in the Premier League this term, having won 21 fouls.That is only two behind his England teammate, Elliot Anderson, who has been on the end of 23 illegal challenges at Manchester City.Symeou added: “I’ve said things in the past that have been clipped up, and they were taken out of context and turned into maybe something that they weren’t. “So I’m always really wary when something comes up like this and when I’m asked about it, about how I kind of approach it. And I always sort of look at it through that person’s point of view.“Was it a much deeper conversation from which someone’s taken a sound bite, et cetera, et cetera?“But in this instance, he had many opportunities to kind of swerve, saying essentially what he did about Bukayo Saka. Arteta was asked about Souness’ claims in his press conference and stated: “I haven’t heard it and I’m not going to make any comments about opinions.”Getty“To say he went down easily in this particular scenario or in this particular situation is fine. But to make a generalisation like that, that is so wrong about a player is obviously damaging.“I’m not saying it’s just Graeme Souness. This is something that’s right across the board right now. “But as much as people kind of think, ‘Oh, if I say this kind of thing, it will make me more relevant.’ I’m not saying Souness isn’t relevant.“His playing career is impeccable. That’s what makes this so disappointing. is that his career is worthy of him being on the telly. It’s worthy of him being on the radio.“He doesn’t need to do this stuff, but you just think to yourself, ‘What route do you want to go down?’“Do you want to be clipped up? Do you want to be notorious for having silly opinions, or do you want to be respected for what you’re saying? And this is where I think the struggle is for a lot of people.“I just think in this scenario, it’s so wrong. It’s so incorrect.How many times has Saka been booked for diving in his Premier League career?First Booking: October 2019 against Sheffield United. An 18-year-old Saka was cautioned by Mike Dean in the 35th minute of a 1-0 defeat at Bramall Lane.Second Booking: October 2022 against Southampton. Saka cautioned by Peter Bankes in the 29th minute of a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.“It’s so wild that this is going to do Graeme Souness more damage than it is going to potentially put him in front of more audiences. “People are going to watch it, but their opinion of him is not going to be enhanced by it. If anything, it’s going to go the other way.”Souness claim needs calling out ‘because it’s just so wrong’It was then put to Symeou that the backlash may have been less severe for an Arsenal player more synonymous with the dark arts.“This is a thing, I’m an Arsenal fan, right? And I’ll always naturally defend our players and all the rest of it. “But when I hear people say, you know, Gabriel’s a bit of an S house, and Gabriel does this, and Gabriel does that…Gabriel Magalhães has become a pantomime villain of sorts for rival fans of ArsenalGetty“I don’t leap to the defence of Gabriel that often because I think, well, if I was a rival fan watching Gabriel, [his antics] would probably frustrate the life out of me as well. “And it would drive me insane. And he does play on the edge, but Bukayo Saka doesn’t do any of that. “So there are certain players that I would hear this type of thing. And I’d say, ‘Look, I might not agree with you, but I don’t think it’s worthy of going massive on how wrong you are.’“Whereas here, this needs calling out; this needs putting into focus with regard to how ridiculous it is because it’s just so wrong.”