BURNLEY: Burnley piled the pressure back on Everton in the Premier League relegation battle with a 2-0 win over Southampton on Thursday, moving them within a point of Frank Lampard’s side.

The Clarets, who sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche last week, won thanks to Connor Roberts’ sublime curler and Nathan Collins’ header and are in 18th place in the standings on 28 points from 32 games with Everton on 29 points from a game less.

Roberts’ first goal for Burnley following his August move from Swansea City came early in the first half at Turf Moor and proved the key moment.

It was just their fifth league victory this term, in interim manager Mike Jackson’s second game since Dyche’s surprise sacking last week after 10 years in charge.

Burnley host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday and, with Everton facing quadruple chasing Liverpool the same day, Jackson’s team are in with a chance of climbing out of the bottom three this weekend.

“The players remembered what they were. We haven’t done loads different but they have come together as a group. Everyone has mucked in and it is a great result,” Jackson said. “I will probably speak to the chairman and he will let me know if I’m needed for next game. We have to make sure we deliver against Wolves.”

Southampton should have taken an early lead when Oriol Romeu was left unmarked at a corner but his header was off target and Burnley were able to build themselves into control.

Welsh international Roberts put the home side ahead in the 12th minute with a beautiful curling shot into the far-corner that gave Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster no chance.

Jay Rodriguez then saw a header superbly saved by Forster and Dutch forward Wout Weghorst put his follow-up header against the woodwork.

Burnley were playing with a level of creativity and verve that they have struggled to find under Dyche this season.

There were more chances at both ends, with Romeu missing an almost identical chance for Southampton, before Burnley doubled their lead, a minute before the break with Collins heading in a Josh Brownhill corner.

Burnley thought they had a third when Jack Cork turned the ball in after James Tarkowski had headed a deep ball from Dwight McNeil across the area but the effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.

Nick Pope pulled off an outstanding reflex save to keep out a volley from substitute Che Adams but Burnley were never in real danger in the final minutes as they made sure of three vital points.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuettl said his side had not done enough to win the game.

“We had the first big chance but couldn’t take it. We were lacking everything after the first 15 minutes and it was not good enough,” said the Austrian. “In the end it was too easy for them to defend us, we were not dangerous enough. I gave them the chance to change things at the start of second half, when you start like this at Burnley it’s tough to come back. We were far away from deserving something.”

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2022