Southampton against Burnley panned out how everyone expected, with the hosts dominating possession and formulating more shooting opportunities. Yet the Clarets once again did what was required to steal all three points and remain in the top seven with another 1-0 victory.

Burnley defence hold firm again

Sofiane Boufal and Nathan Redmond were the most dangerous players for the Saints and it was no surprise that each of the hosts' clear chances were manufactured by the pair of flair players.

Steven Davis and Oriol Romeu would begin the attacking plays and the central midfield duo made 165 passes between them, often looking for Boufal and Redmond. Constantly interchanging positions alongside Dusan Tadic, who was less effective in attacking midfield, Boufal and Redmond both forced Nick Pope into top-class saves.

However, despite dominating possession and territory throughout, Southampton only tested Pope three times in the entire game and Burnley's defensive prowess is underpinned by the fact lone striker Manolo Gabbiadini only touched the ball eight times. He was replaced on 65 minutes after just one of those touches took place inside the Burnley penalty area.

Embed from Getty Images

Substitutions prove critical

It was on 65 minutes that Sean Dyche made a surprisingly bold tactical change that turned the game. Up until that point, the visitors had created very little going forward with Chris Wood stranded up front on his own as he returned from injury.

Dyche opted to take both Wood and central midfielder Jeff Hendrick off, with Sam Vokes replacing the lone striker and Ashley Barnes offering a more natural attacking threat instead of Hendrick.

Burnley began to venture out of their half more in the next 25 minutes than they had done in the previous 65 and Dyche's double substitution paid off. Johann Berg Gudmundsson picked out Vokes who headed home the winner with the Claret's first shot on target out of just three efforts in the entire game.

Yet it was the run of Barnes across the penalty area that created space for the Welshman, taking two defenders out of the game and allowing Vokes to peel off Maya Yoshida as he does so effectively. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author