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Cape Town - Burnley boss Sean Dyche admits his team had nothing to play for against Arsenal after learning on Saturday they had qualified for the Europa League.
The Clarets will finish the season in seventh place, which would not ordinarily guarantee European football, but they have benefitted from Manchester City winning the EFL Cup.
The Citizens will feature in the UEFA Champions League after securing the Premier League title. It means the Lancashire club will embark on their first European adventure in 51 years.
As a result, Dyche wasn't too disappointed by the 5-0 hammering at the hands of the Gunners and praised his players for an "incredible" achievement this term.
"I think Arsenal raised their performance considerably today, but we came into the game on the back of yesterday's news that we'd qualified for the Europa League," the 46-year-old said after the match.
"That meant all of a sudden we had nothing to play for and I think that showed. Players are human after all - and then if you add in what it stood for today, for Arsene (Wenger) and the whole occasion, we couldn't find a performance.
"We lost Ashley Barnes early on, which didn't help and we're waiting on news from the hospital about an injury to his shoulder/collar bone.
"But that's not to take anything away from Arsenal. They were good and really turned up, but we just lacked that edge we play with. You need that edge, particularly when you play the big sides, but we just didn't have it today and I understand that.
"These big sides can hurt you on any given days and sometimes reality bites. Today it did. Today was one of those days, but in the bigger picture - and it's important to remember this - it's been a huge, huge season by my players.
"They have been absolutely incredible this season, so I am certainly not going to over-question today."
