Southampton legend Jim Steele insists Jay Rodriguez is not cheat.

The young striker has been criticised for the way he won their matchwinning penalty against Aston Villa.

Steele told the Daily Echo: "Rodriguez was only pulling out of the challenge he saw coming in, it would have been a penalty anyway and he could have got injured if he carried on.

"It was definitely a penalty, it's only when you see the slow-motion replay that you can see there was no contact - but it was still the right decision. Rodriguez was travelling at high speed and got out of the way, but that doesn't make it less of a foul.

"It's the same with Gareth Bale, he's getting a bad reputation but when he's travelling so fast you can't blame him for trying to avoid challenges that could seriously injure him.

"If it was Ashley Young it would be forgotten about by now. Young's the worst culprit, he's gone down like a sack of spuds two or three times this season.

"It's unfair on Rodriguez to be compared to him."