Burnley on Thursday piled the pressure back on Everton in the English Premier League relegation battle with a 2-0 win over Southampton, moving them within a point of Frank Lampard’s side.
The Clarets, who sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche on Friday last week, are in 18th place in the standings on 28 points from 32 games, with Everton on 29 points from a game fewer.
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 take control.
Photo: AP
Wales international Connor Roberts put the hosts 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, with their under-23 coach Mike Jackson and injured club captain Ben Mee in temporary charge, 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 halftime when Nathan Collins headed in a Josh Brownhill corner.
Burnley thought they had a third when Jack Cork turned the ball in after James Tarkowski had headed a ball from Dwight McNeil across the penalty area, but the effort was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee.
Nick Pope pulled off an outstanding reflex save to keep out a volley from Southampton substitute Che Adams, but Burnley were never in real danger in the final minutes as they made sure of three vital points.
The Clarets host Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow and a win — or even a draw — would move them above Everton and out of the bottom three before Lampard’s side face Liverpool in the Merseryside derby at Anfield later the same day.
Goalscorer Roberts said there was no lack of confidence in the Burnley camp.
“There will always be belief. We know we have quality. We will give everything to try and keep this club up. We have five games to give everything. Mike [Jackson] hasn’t changed everything, but has given us a bit more freedom to do what we want,” Roberts said.
Jackson finds himself uncertain as to whether he will be in charge for the visit of Wolves, but praised the way his players had dealt with the unexpected changes at the club.
“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 am needed for next game.”
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