Saturday 22 December 2018 18:09, UK
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery dismissed claims from Burnley boss Sean Dyche that his players had been guilty of "diving" at the Emirates on Saturday.
The home team won the clash 3-1 thanks to two Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strikes either side of half-time, before Alex Iwobi's late effort sealed the victory after Ashley Barnes had given the visitors hope of an unlikely point.
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However, it was Dyche's suggestion of simulation by some of Arsenal's players that dominated post match.
"I do not agree with him," said the Spaniard when his Burnley counterpart's claims were put to him by Sky Sports reporter Pat Davison.
"Also we can and need everybody and for the first time we are leading at half-time of a match in a Premier League. And we need the respect of a referee and we need respect between us."
Emery was delighted with how his team dealt with Burnley's physical approach and responded to recent back-to-back defeats to move level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for next season's Champions League.
"We expected long balls, section actions, pushes - they also have good players and their attacking players created problems for us," he said.
"And then we needed to impose our game plan, but we worked very well today, it was a tough match like we expected and we are happy with this victory.
"Physicality is part of football and you need to be physically strong. Both teams needed to impose themselves physically and with quality. We imposed our game plan in our moment and this victory is a consequence of this and we are pleased with this."
However, despite recalling Mesut Ozil to the starting line-up and handing the German the captain's armband, the Arsenal manager refused to confirm the playmaker would start at Brighton on Boxing Day.
"Very well, very well," he said when asked how Ozil has played on his comeback. "We want a result like today. Today we won, tomorrow we have off, Monday we are preparing the match for Wednesday at Brighton and this is the way."
