Sean Dyche baffled by touchline clash questions after Burnley’s draw at Chelsea
Clarets first-team coach Steve Stone was overheard telling Chelsea’s bench to “show some respect” amid a terse first-half exchange at Stamford Bridge.
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Your support makes all the difference.Sean Dyche has dismissed suggestions of touchline clashes with Chelsea as “bizarre” after Burnley’s heated 1-1 Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge
Clarets first-team coach Steve Stone was overheard telling Chelsea’s bench to “show some respect” amid a terse first-half exchange in west London.
Both sets of coaches appeared animated and frustrated, but after a cut-and-thrust encounter, both Dyche and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel moved to downplay any incidents.
Matej Vydra’s late equaliser denied leaders Chelsea a fifth-straight Premier League win after the hosts had gone ahead through Kai Havertz’s header.
And Burnley boss Dyche was left confused as to why the questions after the game were on off-field incidents.
“This is the most bizarre interview ever,” said Dyche.
“I didn’t see or say anything at all. I have no clue where these questions are coming from. I have no clue what a flash point is any more.
“I’m actually confused. I don’t remember hardly anything happening to be honest. I don’t remember any flash points that’s for sure.
“That’s standard stuff, two groups of people trying to win a football game. I actually have no clue where this line of question’s coming from.
“It’s just two groups of staff trying to win a football match.
“I’m not hard at all! I’m just a normal bloke trying to win a football match, that’s it.”
Chelsea boss Tuchel lamented the Blues’ inability to cross the line in a “lucky” draw for the battling Clarets – an assessment that met no quarrel from Dyche.
“I can understand him being frustrated,” said Dyche.
It can happen as it did today that somebody else steals a point and is lucky.
“Any team that makes that many chances I can understand him being frustrated. If the shoe’s on the other foot I’d be thinking ‘how didn’t we win that’.”
Chelsea will still end the weekend top of the Premier League table, but Liverpool can cut the Blues’ lead to one point with a win at West Ham on Sunday.
An upbeat Tuchel batted off questions about any touchline truck with Dyche, before praising Chelsea’s overall performance levels.
Asked about any issues with Burnley’s bench, Tuchel said: “I don’t want to talk about it now. Maybe it was fun for you but I will not talk about it.
“I learned in my career as a coach not to comment on referees and other coaches. It will catch you out. So I will not comment.
“Burnley were very lucky, but that’s football. Were we lucky in the first game of these seven matches to escape with a clean sheet at Brentford? Yes, we were.
“Of course they were lucky, and that’s why everybody loves the game, because it’s possible to win matches like this.
“I stick with my feeling from the sideline, I have proved from all data right now that we played a fantastic match with a great attitude and intensity.
“I’m very happy with where we are, and it can happen as it did today that somebody else steals a point and is lucky.”