Neal Maupay insists Kyle Walker either misheard him or “acted as a victim” when the two players clashed in Brentford’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Maupay, on loan at Brentford from Everton, was involved in a heated confrontation with Walker earlier this month.
A professional lip reader claimed Walker had informed the referee that Maupay had made a derogatory comment about his children, after which Walker allegedly threatened to “knock out” Maupay.
Maupay has now denied these claims, telling L'Équipe: “It is absolutely not what has happened. No way, I haven't talked about his children. I have just talked to him about who he is, as a person.
“There is a line that should not be crossed. You can give a player the needle, but you can't talk about his family.
“So there are two options: either Kyle has misunderstood what I told him - but I manage pretty well in English - or he acted as a victim because he did not like what I told him.”
Maupay has also clashed with James Maddison recently and Michail Antonio has described him as “the most disliked person on the field”.
Asked about his wind-up antics, Maupay said: “It’s part of the game. Sometimes it’s too easy to get a player out of his game.
“But you don’t have to forget that the defenders also goad strikers. Sometimes, even if the ball is at the opposite side the pitch, they step on your toes or they throw a punch on your back.”
