Saturday 20 October 2018 19:23, UK
Sean Dyche believed Vincent Kompany and Leroy Sane should have been sent off in Burnley's 5-0 defeat at Manchester City.
Dyche was also left seething with the officials for their role in City's second goal, which was allowed to stand despite an alleged dive by Sane and the ball being out of play when David Silva crossed for Bernardo Silva.
Kompany was booked inside one minute for a wild and high lunge on Aaron Lennon that left the Burnley winger with a gash on his leg.
Dyche pointed to that incident and the second goal to reasons why City eventually ran out convincing winners.
"The result is a strange one because of the events of the game rather than the performance," he said.
"The events are bizarre. The sending off for Vincent Kompany in the first minute doesn't happen - it's the official thing of it being so early in the game but I've never worked that out.
"It's a strange goal for the second, which is inevitably the killer and the change in the game. Someone goes down with the tiniest of touches in the manner like they've been hit in the side. That's nearly given by the ref, then not given and waved away. Then the ball goes out of play, they cross it and then they score from it.
"Then at 2-0 down it's really difficult. We lost focus as we were so involved with the officials."
Sane was later involved in an altercation with Matt Lowton, which Dyche also believed worthy of a red card offence. Despite being 3-0 up and cruising, Sane kicked out to halt a Lowton charge down the right flank but referee Jon Moss only brandished a yellow card.
Dyche added: "And later on in the game, Sane's is a red as well for a blatant kick-out at a player with no intention to play the ball. They're red cards nowadays. I must say 'nowadays'. It's important to remember that."
