He said: “It was just a ridiculous fluke and I’ve been saddened and disappointed by the criticism.
“I thought ‘That was a sweet connection, I never even felt it touch my foot’ – and then I’ve looked round and it’s in the back of the net.
“I’ve never felt like that before in my life. It was totally out of my control and I was pleased with the way I played generally.
“The coaching staff were extremely supportive. Now I want to focus on the game at Villa on Saturday and put all this circus behind me.”
