Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has denied trying to get Lincoln City's Matt Rhead sent off during his side's shock 1-0 FA Cup defeat to the National League club.
Burnley were knocked out of the FA Cup on Saturday by Lincoln, who became the first non-league club to reach the quarterfinals of the competition since Queens Park Rangers in 1914.
Barton was involved in a second-half incident with Rhead, seeming to deliberately run into his arm while marking him at a corner before falling to the ground and holding his face.
Barton, however, said on Twitter after the match that he had not intended to get Rhead dismissed, but that instead there had simply been a coming-together between the two players.
Wasn't trying to get the Big Man sent off. It was my job to front screen and disrupt him. Was trying to get back in front of him. (1)
- Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) February 18, 2017
"Wasn't trying to get the Big Man sent off," Barton wrote. "It was my job to front screen and disrupt him. Was trying to get back in front of him.
"Tried to duck under his arm and he moved it back and hit me on the head. Contact is part of the game, no problem with that. Unlike their player saying he was kicked on the floor and also the one who jumped and held his face as if he'd been struck.
"But that wouldn't make a good story would it. FairPlay to Lincoln. They where well organised and that's Cup football. Good luck in nxt rd."