arsenal 3
Aubameyang (14, 48), Iwobi (90)
burnley 1
Barnes (63)
Sean Dyche accused Arsenal players of diving as his side were beaten at the Emirates Stadium.
A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace put the Gunners on course for three points, before Ashley Barnes halved the arrears for the visitors – only for substitute Alex Iwobi to wrap up the victory in stoppage time.
There were a couple of flashpoints during the game and Barnes was lucky to still be on the pitch to score after he had been booked and committed a number of further fouls.
Granit Xhaka was involved in a touchline spat after a challenge went against Burnley on halfway, while Mesut Ozil remonstrated with referee Kevin Friend having had a free-kick shout turned down.
Alexandre Lacazette also seemed to go down easily under pressure in the away penalty, and the Gunners were criticised by an unhappy Dyche.
“We certainly didn’t get a lot with the decisions,” a visibly angry Clarets boss said.
“Where do you want to start with the decisions? Shall we start with the 61 games without a penalty?
“And a clear doublehanded push in the back on Kevin Long. That’s a pretty good place to start, I think.
“There were two dives. No one seems to want to do anything about diving in the game apart from me. I’m still amazed by it.
“I want to see people banned because if they were, it would evaporate out of the game.
“I’m absolutely amazed at where it’s at at the moment. And nobody is bothered.”
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery, who saw his side return to winning ways after defeats to Southampton and Tottenham, felt Dyche was incorrect in his assessment. He said: “I do not agree. Diving, I think, is not correct. We need to respect the referee’s decision. I think VAR is coming here in the future and I think this will help the referees.”
The major talking point ahead of kick-off was the inclusion of Ozil in the Arsenal starting line-up, with the 30-year-old also named as captain.
The German had not started a league game since November 11 and Emery said: “(It was a) very good response.
“I think he played like we needed today. His skills, his commitment with us was very good.”