Burnley boss Sean Dyche has defended his side's style of play following the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, as well as explaining away what happened in the tunnel after the game as 'handbags, bumbags, manbags'.
The result took Burnley to 40 points, all but confirming their Premier League survival for next season, though the celebratory scenes were marred by a fracas that spilled into the tunnel after the final whistle.
Speaking on the incident, as quoted by Goal, Dyche explained: “I was over clapping our fans...There was something going off on the edge of the pitch when I turned round, but then it went off in the tunnel.
"But handbags, bumbags, manbags... I don't know what you're allowed to say in this day and age. But bags of some kind, that's all."
And the war of words didn't stop after this, with David Luiz lamenting his opponent's style as 'anti-football'.
In response to this, Dyche proclaimed: “They can have whatever opinion they want. Everyone is allowed an opinion. If we could afford the players they have, I'd love – all managers – to play 600 pass football and win all the time.
"But it's simply not that easy. You have to do what you do to win and be successful. Look at the amount of players we've developed, the diligence of the group, where the players have come from to play in the Premier League... You have to enjoy the moment, and we certainly enjoyed the moment."
He later added: "Well, for a £58m wage bill, making the most of the players to find a way to get 40 points in the Premier League, I'm pretty pleased to be fair. 28 points from 16 games: you can't do that with anti-football.
"You have to play some football to get that many points. We're in a super strong position, but you work on facts. We know it's a big marker, 40 points, but we have to see it through.”
It is understood that Dyche was initially annoyed by Maurizio Sarri's consistent encroachment on the 47-year-old's technical area, leading him to speak to Gianfranco Zola at half-time.
“I know Zola a bit, a fantastic fella, and I've always got on with him," Dyche said.
"He said at half-time [Sarri is] not quite getting it. I said he was going over into my box. He just said he didn't quite get the reality of it – they're bigger in Italy. Okay. He's been here a while, mind. I said fine and accepted it."
The tension all got too much for Sarri as he was sent to the stands with just minutes remaining this evening! pic.twitter.com/giZTe4O5xU
— 90min (@90min_Football) April 22, 2019
Sarri was removed from the dugout with minutes to go, and reports in ESPN have claimed that he was provoked by multiple shouts from the Burnley bench that he was a 'sh*t Italian', with Zola, who handled the post-match discourse, admitting the club will look to follow-up on these claims.
However, batting this away, Dyche declared: “I don't think the coaches' language skills are that good. It wouldn't have been a deep conversation. Woany's [assistant-coach Ian Woan] from the Wirral.”
Source : 90min