Unai Emery has hit back at Sean Dyche after the Burnley manager accused Arsenal players of diving during Saturday’s match at Emirates Stadium. A brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a late Alex Iwobi goal helped Emery’s side bounce back from consecutive defeats and continue their push for Champions League qualification.
The match, however, was punctuated by several controversial moments and the contest threatened to boil over when Ashely Barnes, who had already been booked for a confrontation with Sokratis Papastathopoulos, appeared to stamp on Matteo Guendouzi.
”It wasn’t a 3-1 game, I think all would agree with that. We conceded soft goals and one was marginally offside. When you come here you do need decisions and so many went against us. Ashley Barnes got an elbow in the face from an unnatural movement before the player goes over yet he gets booked. There was a clear two-handed push on Kevin Long but the penalty wasn’t given because he goes down naturally. We’ve gone 60 games without a penalty now.” The Burnley manager said.
Emery and Dyche shared in a heated exchange after the final whistle, before the Burnley boss, who also thought his side were denied a clear penalty for a push by Sead Kolasinac, slammed Arsenal’s diving. Reacting to Dyche’s claims Emery said: ‘No. I don’t agree. ‘I think the most important thing Is our victory.
The things that happen on the pitch between the players and us is our moments. ‘I think we need to have respect for the referee and for us. ‘They are an aggressive team with a characteristic that is clear is the game plan. ‘But we have respect and we need to adapt in the game plan to the long ball. ‘They are more physical than us, that is normal.’