Cornet is making a big noise
HERO MAXWEL LIFTS CLARETS AFTER DOUBLE DENIES SAINTS
MAXWEL CORNET’S two thumping goals were not quite enough to sink the Saints but they left their boss Ralph Hasenhuttl stunned.
Who could blame him? The Clarets had only scored five goals before this game and when Saints went 2-1 ahead through Armando Broja it looked as if shaky Southampton would gain only their second win of the season.
Burnley are still without a victory, but there was enough here for Sean Dyche to think a wind of change maybe blowing.
They went ahead though Cornet’s first-half header, succumbed to an equaliser from the impishly impressive Valentino Livramento, but showed some resolve to gain a point through a second blast from Cornet and might even have won it.
As it is, Burnley are still three points adrift of safety and this was a teethgnashing fifth occasion this season when they have gone ahead in a game and not won it.
Winger Cornet has been used sparingly so far by Dyche. This was only his fourth game since his move from Lyon, but Manchester City fans know all about the Ivorian’s quality.
He scored four goals in three Champions League games against Pep Guardiola’s side and his precise glancing header and thunderous volley suggested he will be key to Burnley’s chances of staying up.
“We are still searching for that first win, but we have to maintain this performance level and this edge,” said Burnley boss Dyche.
“Maxwel found the transition moments difficult at times at the end of the first half and there was space behind him, so we made a change.
“But he still delivered as a No.10 and he was super strong with the second goal and made a fantastic finish.
“But the thing that really pleased me was his mentality.
“We have asked him to play in different positions and he has worked hard for the team.
“He has bought into the fact that this is a side that has to work.
“We had to be cautious with him because he went down with cramp. But we believe he will get fitter and sharper.”
After Cornet had headed home from Matt Lowton’s cross, Burnley appeared to resemble the work of a lousy dentist – gaps that needed urgent filling from front to back.
Saints’ Theo Walcott fluffed a chance, Nathan Redmond missed a sitter and Livramento struck a post.
The former Chelsea youngster – whose name sounds like a 50s co-star to Sophia Loren, but who is actually from Croydon – headed home as Burnley switched off at a corner.
When Broja pounced on a casual error by James Tarkowski to drill the ball home, it felt as though the remaining 33 minutes would give Hasenhuttl’s side plenty of opportunity to go on and claim the win.
But as the manager conceded, they went off the boil and might even have lost as the best chance of the last half hour fell to Burnley when Ashley Westwood collected a cross but dragged his shot wide from 12 yards.
“In the end, a draw was a deserved result – it was an interesting game for the neutral supporter,” said Hasenhuttl.
“You don’t get that many chances against Burnley, but two goals at home should be enough for winning a game and we didn’t do it.
“We had massive chances to score and maybe we were a little unlucky in the first half.
“In the second half, we scored but we didn’t have control against their long balls. The defending there was not good.
“Every long ball was a threat and they do it very well. They are always there for the second ball.
“When they scored the second goal and that killed our momentum.”