The Manchester United striker got caught up in the big debate currently sweeping the game last weekend when he went down under Manuel Almunia's challenge at Old Trafford to win his team a penalty.

While most former professionals felt Almunia went down with his arms in front of Rooney, justifying the spot-kick award, TV replays appeared to show the United man was going down before Arsenal's goalkeeper made contact.

The 23-year-old is having none of it. Not only does he not dive, he insists he never will do.

"Everyone who watches me play knows I am an honest player," Rooney said.

"I have never intentionally tried to dive. In fact, there have been times when I have tried to stay on my feet and get the shot off rather than go down.

"It isn't fair for players to dive and try to cheat the other team. And it is not just cheating your opponents, you are cheating the fans as well."

That does not mean Rooney is unaware of such incidents. He can hardly claim otherwise given he has just shared a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo for five seasons.

It is more that players should take more responsibility for their own actions, and at least give the referee a bit of assistance, rather than make the officials' job even harder.

"It is important the game is played honestly but these things have happened for years," Rooney reflected.

"Probably the coverage the game gets now, with all the cameras around, (means) it gets highlighted a bit more. But it hasn't got any worse.

"You can only bank on the referees making the right decision and giving the right punishment."

The imbalance in punishment is what has got Arsene Wenger so vexed.

Unless he is successful with his appeal, Arsenal forward Eduardo will have to serve a two-match Champions League suspension for "deceiving the referee" during last week's win over Celtic.

Yet just four days later, team-mate Emmanuel Eboue committed a far more obvious transgression of the rules at Old Trafford and received only the standard yellow card.

"That was clear for everyone to see," said Rooney.

"It is difficult. He got a yellow card but it is not down to me to say whether that is the correct punishment or not.

"In different circumstances you could ask for more but I am sure many big games have been decided by the wrong decisions.

"It's not really down to me to fix. It is down to other people.

"FIFA and UEFA must decide whether they want to take punishments further. As players you just want to play."