Burnley – Southampton saw an early Danny Ings goal lift Saints to their first three points of the 2020-21 Premier League season and a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor on Saturday.
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Burnley had their chances to get back in the game, but a painfully close offside call and a stellar save in the span of 90 second-half seconds left the Clarets with a familiar empty feeling once again.
3 things we learned: Burnley – Southampton
1. Ings a one-season wonder? Yeah, no: For years, the narrative surrounding Ings was “when healthy, the man scores goals.” Now, it’s just “the man scores goals.” Last season: 22 goals in 38 appearances. This season, through three games: three goals. It’s also no coincidence that Ings has proven more and more productive since Che Adams claimed his regular starting spot alongside the talisman. Their partnership has unlocked the best of one another and should continue to do so for some time to come.
2. However, when Ings doesn’t score…: On the other hand, Saints managed all of zero shots on target after Ings’ fifth-minute goal, which was also their first of the game. The free-flowing attacking move that resulted in Ings’ goal was very much the exception, not the rule, as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side did very little with their nearly 50-50 share of possession. If the wingers in Hassenhuttl’s fairly rigid 4-4-2 aren’t torching defenders one-on-one in space, there’s not much doing in the way of chance creation.
3. Burnley crying out for reinforcements (re-post from Sunday): Sean Dyche had some rather critical thoughts about Burnley’s ongoing inability — or, perhaps, refusal — to move in a more timely manner to sign new players and improve the squad. Until such a change occurs, Dyche’s words are probably worth revisiting regularly.
Saints were quick off the mark and went ahead after just five minutes. Ings got on the end of Adams’ cut-back ball toward the penalty spot with his first touch, and lifted the ball over the last defender. Kyle-Walker Peters’ clever through ball for Adams was worthy of a secondary assist, as the right back played a crucial role in Saints’ incisive build-up.
Burnley had the ball in the back of the net and thought they had drawn level in the 56th minute, but Chris Wood was denied his goal by the assistant referee’s flag. Wood was indeed inches offside as he made his run in behind before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and putting it into an empty net.
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McCarthy was called into emergency action moments later as Burnley ramped up their pressure on Saints’ goal. Charlie Taylor unleashed a swerving strike from the edge oft he box and it appeared headed for McCarthy’s lower right-hand corner, but the Saints ‘keeper made a spectacular save at full-stretch and pushed the ball around the post.
Ings had a second goal ruled out for offside — this one much more so than Woods’ earlier transgression — in second-half stoppage time.
The victory sees Saints move off the bottom of the table with their first points now in hand, while Burnley sink into 17th with zero points from two games played.
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