SEAN Dyche criticised the performance of referee Mike Jones after Burnley’s defeat at Everton – insisting Kevin Mirallas should have been shown a straight red card for a challenge on George Boyd.

The Clarets slipped to bottom of the table with a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park, with Mirallas netting the winner just before the half hour mark.

Tom Heaton had earlier saved Ross Barkley’s penalty after David Jones had fouled Aaron Lennon, although the challenge appeared to take place just outside the area.

Dyche also felt the Clarets had two penalty shouts, for a foul on Scott Arfield and a handball by John Stones.

Ashley Barnes was sent off on the stroke of half time for a second bookable offence, with his first yellow card coming for a late challenge on James McCarthy that failed to make contact.

Mirallas escaped with only a yellow in the second period after jumping into a challenge and catching Boyd on the shin with his studs.

Asked about Barnes’ red card, Dyche said: “It was just two silly challenges, he knows that.

“But at least the ref got that one right, that was good.

“I was interested in the view of the penalty that he had because I’ve seen it back and it’s outside the box.

“Then Scotty Arfield is dancing across the edge of their box, there’s an attempted challenge that misses, we all know that if he goes down it’s probably going to be given.

“If Barnes gets booked for attempting a challenge and missing, then the principle should be the same on the edge of the box.

“Ashley Barnes makes a cross, Stones runs across, his arm’s in an unnatural position, handball, gets nothing.

“And the biggest one is the Mirallas challenge, it’s impossible he stays on the football pitch.

“I must make it clear, I don’t think he’s that sort of player so there’s no angle at all about the player, it’s purely the challenge.

“But high, late, I don’t understand it, in my opinion it’s a red card challenge.”