Arsenal legend Lee Dixon criticises two players after disappointing Burnley draw

Arsenal: Arteta wants 'explanation' over penalty call

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Arsenal legend Lee Dixon has slammed Granit Xhaka and Calum Chambers after the Gunners’ 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday. The north London giants went ahead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. But they were forced to settle for a point at Turf Moor, with Chris Wood securing a point for the home side.

Arsenal’s draw with Burnley was dispiriting.

Especially because it was of their own making, with Mikel Arteta’s side paying the price for some costly individual errors.

Xhaka and Bernd Leno’s mix-up at the back allowed Wood to score for Burnley, ensuring they pick up a crucial point in the process.

And Dixon has taken aim at the former, admitting he’s finding it hard defending the Switzerland international after so many mistakes over the years.

“Where do I start?” said Dixon.

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“We all know they like to play out from the back but when Xhaka goes this close to his goalkeeper and tries a ball like this.

“He’s had a look over his shoulder a couple of times to know where the next pass is.

“The fact that he is running back in a straight line to his goalkeeper – what he should do is that if he is in trouble there he should roll it back to the keeper so he can clear his lines.

“I tried to be nice to him before the game and it was hard for me.

“I have tried to be fair on that one but it’s a big mistake and he knows that.”

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Dixon also slammed Arteta for picking Chambers for the contest, with the former Fulham star getting the nod over Hector Bellerin at right-back.

“I am a little bit shocked,” said Dixon.

“You look at the games coming up for Arsenal, he is maybe looking at the league and going ‘what are we playing for today?’

“We don’t know what’s going through Arteta’s mind in that respect. Calum Chambers was a shock to me in the sense that Bellerin was on the bench.

“Is he saving him for midweek? It’s a bit of a strange one, I have to say.”

Arteta cut a frustrated figure after the game, criticising his Arsenal squad for failing to take their chances.

And he feels his side should have had a penalty for handball, saying: “It’s a really tough place to come on a difficult pitch, but I have to say we should have scored the big chances we had.

“When you miss the chances we had, and you do not get decisions, it is complicated to win football games.

“If that is not a penalty, then someone needs to explain what one is.

“From what we produced, you have to come here and win. When you do not, you have to look at yourself. We completely dominated the first half but they make it difficult with a lot of long ball.

“We generated chances and we should have won by two or three goals. If you give any hope to any team in the Premier League, they are going to take it.”

Burnley boss Sean Dyche, meanwhile, feels the decision not to give Arsenal a penalty was the right one.

“I’m a fan of VAR, we know it has to be streamlined but that is where it’s worth its weight in gold,” he said.

“The referee couldn’t wait to get his red card out today, although he is a very fine referee. That is what VAR is for.

“There wasn’t a lot in it in the first half, but our defending was exceptional and we probably made the chance of the game, but their keeper made a good save.”

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