Burnley midfielder Joey Barton has hit out at claims that he feigned an injury in order to get an opponent sent off during his side's FA Cup clash with Lincoln City this afternoon.
The 34-year-old was accused of standing on the foot of Lincoln striker Matt Rhead while marking him from a corner before going down clutching his head after being inadvertently caught by his arm.
However, Barton insists that it was an innocent incident and wished the Imps well after they made history with their 1-0 win at Turf Moor.
"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," he wrote on Twitter.
"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."
Lincoln's victory saw them become the first non-league team to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup since 1914.
Barney Corkhill
