DRY RUN COSTS ALBION
Defence bonds Burnley into high flyers and Cork’s sure it could do the same for Southgate and England
JACK CORK has made a World Cup case to Gareth Southgate for Burnley’s defence.
The midfielder was given his Three Lions debut as a substitute last month against Germany.
And while Cork would love to gatecrash the party in Russia, he knows a stingy defence is the main reason for the Clarets’ superb season to date.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was in the England mix before his shoulder injury, and his replacement, Nick Pope, has been playing out of his skin.
James Tarkowski, Ben Mee (above) and Matt Lowton all played their part in securing three clean sheets in a row, nine in total, and just 12 goals conceded in 18 games.
Cork said: “For me to have any chance of getting to the World Cup we need to be playing well as a team, and I need to be playing well in that team.
“So I’ll keep playing the games and see what happens. It is everyone’s dream to play in a World Cup, and I would love to be involved.
“But I’m sure there are a lot of other players in the same position, there is a lot of competition.
“Hopefully maybe not just me but five or six of our team who are English might have a chance. Especially in the back five – they have been superb all season. Look at the clean sheets.
“And to be fifth or whatever in the league, it is hard to ignore those defenders who are doing that.”
Sean Dyche’s side rode their luck against Brighton in the first half, with the Seagulls having several good chances – not least a penalty skied over the bar by Glenn BRIGHTON captain Bruno admits a goal drought is damaging the club’s survival bid.
Albion have scored just once in their last six league games and only 14 times this season.
Against Burnley they again failed to capitalise while on top, notably when Glenn Murray Murray. Murray also headed straight at Pope, while Lewis Dunk had a header cleared off the line by Phil Bardsley and Anthony Knockaert hit a post with a volley.
Even after Murray’s 36thminute spot-kick miss he appeared to get a dig in the ribs from Tarkowski, the same player involved in the penalty – which could have seen more action taken against the defender.
But in the classic game of two halves, high-flying Burnley improved after the break and Matt Ryan was at his best to deny Scott Arfield and later Chris Wood.
Cork added: “A lot of pundits at the start of the season said us, Huddersfield and Brighton would be in the bottom three next May.
“We remember it, it’s extra motivation to do better than those predictions.
“You have it in your mind to prove people wrong.” (right) put a penalty over. Bruno said: “We‘re waiting to score that goal that would release the pressure – but we didn’t.
“We played better, but the difference is we didn’t get that first goal. That gives you the calmness to wait and opponents will open more, but we didn’t.’