Sean Dyche has revealed that he was 'laughing' with Steve Bruce following the referee's decision not to award Burnley a free-kick after Callum Wilson's nudge on Kevin Long in the build-up to Newcastle United's opening goal on Saturday night.
Allan Saint-Maximin gave the Magpies the lead at St James' Park just before the quarter hour mark and it was Wilson who chested the ball into the Frenchman's path after knocking Long off balance.
Referee David Coote did not deem it a foul and there were still five Burnley players surrounding Saint-Maximin as he drove towards the goal before the forward slowed play down, turned his markers inside out and broke the deadlock.
Dyche believes that referees have 'lost their eye' because they are 'used to people falling on the floor and rolling over', and the Burnley boss feels that officials need that 'to make a decision'.
"It's bizarre. I don't know what's happening in the game - I really don't," Dyche told Sky Sports after his side's 3-1 defeat. "Most managers are confused and I speak to a few. Brucie and I were laughing about it in the end.
"I don't know why the referee doesn't give that. It's just weird now. You touch someone's ear and they fall on the floor and it's a foul and then our centre-half is quite clearly knocked off the ball without any intention of the centre-forward to try and actually bring the ball down and he doesn't give it.
"I think football is in a very strange state as regards the physicality and the officiating of the games."
