Southampton – Burnley was an unexpected goalfest in the sun at St Mary’s.
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Burnley surged into an early 2-0 lead as Chris Wood scored a penalty, then Matej Vydra hammered home a second. But Saints surged back as Stuart and Armstrong and Danny Ings both scored fine first half goals.
Nathan Redmond then put Saints 3-2 up with a fine volley, as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side completed a comeback win to move on to 36 points and leave Burnley on 33.
WATCH SOUTHAMPTON – BURNLEY FULL REPLAY
Three things we learned from Southampton – Burnley
1. Ings is back with bang: What a comeback from injury for Danny Ings, as he set up one goal, scored an amazing solo effort and was involved in the third. Ings, 28, has just one year left on his contract and is wanted by Manchester City and others, but he may stay at Saints. He will be the main man for his hometown club and will play regularly, and when he’s fit and firing on all cylinders he gives Southampton an entirely new dimension. Can Saints persuade him to sign a new deal this summer?
2. Burnley lulled into false sense of security: This doesn’t happen often to Sean Dyche’s side, but it was almost too easy early on. They went 2-0 up and were flying but then didn’t know what to do. Chris Wood and Matej Vydra caused problems and Burnley were direct, but in truth they had Nick Pope to thank for keeping them in the game. An unlikely collapse.
3. Both teams will be safe: Based on this game, both teams will be safe from relegation this season and probably next. There is enough quality in attack for Saints and defense fo Burnley to show they are good enough to get to 40 points. That is clear for all to see. Two solid Premier League clubs.
Man of the Match: Danny Ings – Lovely assist for Armstrong’s goal and scored a sublime solo effort. Top clubs will be chasing him this summer.
Burnley had a big chance early on as Kyle Walker-Peters slipped and that led to a counter attack as Wood forced Fraser Forster into a good save down low.
Moments later Walker-Peters gave away a penalty kick as he chopped down Erik Pieters in the box and the pitch-side monitor was used to award the spot kick via VAR.
Wood hammered home the penalty kick to give the Clarets the lead and before half time he set up strike partner Vydra to hammer home. A long ball forward found Wood and his flicked header found Vydra who smashed past Forster to make it 2-0.
Before half time Southampton gave themselves hope as Ings flicked a beautiful ball in to Armstrong who finished to make it 2-1.
Nathan Redmond then forced Charlie Taylor to flick off his own line as the hosts finally woke up and just before the break Ings scored a sensational solo goal as he raced past Ben Mee down the right flank, stuck James Tarkowski on the ground and nutmegged Nick Pope to make it 2-2.
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The second half was a lot more relaxed compared to the first half as Burnley whipped in crosses galore.
James Ward-Prowse smashed the underside of the crossbar with a fine effort as Southampton pushed hard to go ahead, as Nick Pope then denied Armstrong’s deflected shot superbly, while Walcott also went close. Finally, Saints went ahead.
Ings was denied by Pope, and Walcott clipped the rebound over to Redmond who volleyed home superbly to make it 3-2.
Burnley took risks to try and find a late equalizer, with Wood twice denied superbly by Forster, while Saints had a few counter attacks which they couldn’t quite get right.
