I STILL BELLIEVE
Burnley No.2 Craig won’t give up on rainbow end for Clarets
IF you see a rainbow and unicorns around Burnley at the end of the season then Craig Bellamy’s fairytale would have come true.
Assistant boss Bellamy’s firm belief that Turf Moor will be hosting Premier League football next season would have most people thinking the Welshman is away with the fairies.
Even a nightmare mistake from keeper Arijanet Muric – allowing a gentle back pass from Sander Berge to trickle over the line following a schoolboy miscontrol – could not dent Bellamy’s optimism.
An error from Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen gifting Josh Brownhill the opening goal would have seen Bellamy gain a few more disciples over his survival doctrine.
He said: “I have a three-year-old girl who still believes in rainbows and unicorns. Maybe that’s me as well.
“I honestly believe we are going to get out of this situation. I believe we are going to stay up, I really do.
“Maybe I’m naive or maybe I’m the one believing in rainbows and unicorns and it’s got into my head and it’s a real world.”
Bellamy’s voice had taken its toll after replacing Clarets boss Vincent
Kompany in the technical area following his one-game touchline ban.
Bellamy added: “We know the position we’re in, here we go again.
“We will recover, have a good look at Sheffield United on Monday. We’ll go through the plan, go through the week. The players will be fine because they have shown their strength of character throughout all of this.
“Is it rainbows and unicorns? I don’t know. It’s up to the manager to transfer this to the players.
“On we go to Sheffield United on Saturday.”
After an 11th draw of the season, Roberto De Zerbi admits the Premier League table is keeping him awake at night.
The Seagulls boss said: “We are too many points away from the high positions to reach our European target.
“I want to tell you a secret. During the night when I can’t sleep I study the league table. We are in fifth position on least goals conceded, seventh or eighth on goals scored.
“This season we are suffering from injuries and we are paying a big price, not getting the points we need.” BURNLEY (4-2-3-1): Muric 5; Assignon 6, Ekdal 7 (Brownhill 66, 7), Esteve 8, Vitinho 6 (Taylor 46, 6); Cullen 6, Berge 6; Odobert 7, Foster 6, Bruun Larsen 6 (Tresor 86); Fofana 6 (Rodriguez 62, 6). BRIGHTON (4-3-2-1): Verbruggen 6; Veltman 6, Van Hecke 6, Dunk 7, Estupinan 5 (Julio 13, 6); Moder 6 (Fati, 77), Baleba 6, Gross 7; Adingra 6 (Lallana,77), Joao Pedro 7 (O’mahony 89); Welbeck 6 (Buonanotte, 77)