Arsene Wenger welcomes Arsenal’s lucky break to mark his 20th anniversary

“There’s no point in trying to pass them off the park”.

It was a contest neither side deserved to lose, although Arsenal nearly found the net before the disputed victor, when Walcott’s curling 20-yard effort drifted inches wide of Tom Heaton’s left-hand post.

Wherever you stand on whether this was evidence of a more streetwise Arsenal or simply a luckier one, the controversial nature of the victory was indisputable.

Although Wenger said that he was unable to see the handball from the bench, he acknowledged the fact that his team was fortunate in victory.

His reaction said everything.

Dyche was pleased with his side’s display and bemoaned the referee’s decision to allow the corner that led to Koscielny’s questionable strike.

The jet-heeled defender, 21, has been linked with Manchester City and Barcelona (The Mail), having left Catalunya as a 16-year-old along with Jon Toral.

Only as full-time approached did the Burnley blockade came under greater pressure.

The result lifted Spurs to second, a point below City.

The French pair were part of Arsenal’s Invincibles side who went unbeaten for the entire 2003/04 league season.

United wasted numerous chances, with world-record signing Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among the offenders as Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant, on loan from Derby County, made several fine saves.

The Gunners had swept aside Chelsea and Basel in their previous two matches but were forced to dig deep at Turf Moor for a fifth straight Premier League success and Germany worldwide Mustafi explained its significance. Arsenal’s away end fans were bouncing around and Wenger secured another win, a day after celebrating a huge milestone. “We had big chances, with wonderful saves and big misses”. “We had 90 minutes of control, we had 90 minutes of ambition”. “We kept Arsenal to very few real chances, so I was pleased defensively”.

The visitors took the game to Burnley, playing with all the confidence and cohesion you would expect from a side which had won six of their previous seven games in all competitions, and another low angled effort, this time from Walcott, flashed across the face of goal.

Pires, 42, said Wenger would have to adapt if he took the role but – speaking to reporters – he admitted he would rather see his compatriot stay put at Arsenal.