BY Ben Blackmore

Alex McLeish has admitted he will have to tell Argentinean starlet Mauro Zarate to stop diving if he is to survive in The Premier League.

Zarate made his first start of the season in Birmingham’s 4-2 loss to Portsmouth, and his skills are drawing instant comparisons to the likes of fellow countrymen Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi.

The 20-year-old loanee is tipped to have a bright future ahead of him, but McLeish has one small gripe with his fleet-footed attacker.

Zarate hit the deck a little too easily in the first half on Wednesday, earning himself a booking, and the Birmingham boss hopes it is lesson learned.

"I need to speak to Mauro about that (the dive). It's in the culture of the South Americans, the Latins especially,” he said.

“I need to tell him it's well scrutinised over in this country.

"But I was pleased with his performance. He was exciting at times. It was difficult for him to come in under the circumstances with James McFadden having missed out the preparation due to his wife having a baby.

"With Portsmouth having such class players at the back, it wasn't going to be easy. But I thought Mauro acquitted himself well and he's only 20.”

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