Aston Villa handed Burnley a sobering 3-1 loss at Turf Moor on Saturday, leaving the hosts just two points clear of 18th-place Everton with two more matches played than the Toffees.
The Clarets were down early and it was 3-0 before the hour mark, leaving Burnley with 34 points through 35 matches. Burnley’s Maxwel Cornet scored off the bench in stoppage time, assisted by returning Erik Pieters.
Leeds has 34 through 34 matches while Everton has 32 in 34 matches.
WATCH BURNLEY vs ASTON VILLA FULL MATCH REPLAY STREAM
Emiliano Buendia had a goal and set up Danny Ings for another in the win that saw Ollie Watkins scored early in the second half.
Villa rises into 11th with the win, their 43 points one back of 10th-place Brighton and Hove Albion.
Burnley vs Aston Villa final score, stats
Burnley 3, Aston Villa 1
Scorers: Ings (7′), Buendia (31′), Watkins (52′), Cornet (90’+1)
Shot attempts: Burnley 14, Aston Villa 12
Shots on goal: Burnley 6, Aston Villa 7
Possession: Burnley 49, Aston Villa 51
Three things we learned from Burnley vs Aston Villa
1. Plight in focus: Burnley would’ve loved anything from this home match considering they’ll now trek to Tottenham and Aston Villa — yes, you read that right — before welcoming Newcastle on the final day of the season. Their 3-2 midweek win over Everton early last month may well be the result that keeps them in the Premier League, but they do not control their own destiny with Everton holding two matches-in-hand (one coming Sunday).
2. Blows traded: Villa was the team to finish its chances but both sides manufactured enough opportunities to challenge for a win. Burnley keeper Nick Pope and Villa counterpart Emiliano Martinez combined for nine saves and the Clarets needed a kind deflection to give them their second goal. This was a pretty even contest even if Burnley appeared out of it at the break.
3. Tarkowski injury: Burnley’s captain was unable to finish and would be a huge blow to Burnley’s relegation fight if he joins fellow leader Ben Mee out of the lineup for the stretch run.
Man of the Match: Emiliano Buendia — The ex-Norwich City man has flashed brilliance for Villa this season and continues to do so even with Philippe Coutinho in the fold.
Former Burnley man Ings opens scoring
Too easy. Emiliano Buendia cuts a well-weighted ball through the Burnley back line to ex-Clarets forward Danny Ings, who snaps a side-footed ball beyond the reach of Nick Pope for 1-0.
Buendia makes it 2-0 with deflected strike
Buendia was the man for the second goal, drifting into the center of the box to side-foot a ball off James Tarkowski’s foot to scuttle Pope’s hopes of a save.
