CLARETS ’N’
Jackson’s first defeat puts team at risk of drop
MIKE JACKSON remained defiant after Emi Buendia inspired this comfortable Aston Villa win – saying the battle to stay up is far from over.
The Clarets interim boss tasted defeat for the first time after an impressive 10-point haul from his first four matches in charge since taking over from Sean Dyche. But they failed to reel in those above them any further as Steven Gerrard’s men taught them a lesson. Villa’s boss omitted Philippe Coutinho from his starting line-up – Liverpool visit Villa Park on Tuesday – but Buendia took centre stage instead. The Argentine orchestrated the opener with a delicious sliderule pass for Danny Ings, scored the second himself and when Ollie Watkins headed home a third early in the second half, it was game over.
Max Cornet’s late strike was a consolation – but Jackson (left) was unbowed at the final whistle.
He said: “I told them, before the Watford game last week, that if I was going to take a group into battle, it would be this one.
“My thoughts haven’t changed after this.
“You need character, you can’t win every game. It’s how you react, how you respond and how you come together as a group.
“We will focus everything now on the last three matches. The Premier League didn’t finish today.”
Jackson’s opposite number Gerrard was delighted. Before the game, Villa’s boss called for more ruthlessness in the opposition penalty area. He got it.
He said: “I put it on the players before kick-off. We have got a lot of people who will do the dirty work and it’s important the front three have the quality to win us the game. They did. They were ruthless.
“Danny and Ollie can be a real threat and Emi, as back-up, can provide that quality, too. Remember, we were coming up against a team in a great place.
“They’ve picked up 10 points from 12 on the back of a new manager’s bounce. It’s tough here, but we’ve put in a really strong show.
“I’m disappointed we couldn’t see it out with the clean sheet, but I won’t let that detract from what was a fantastic display away from home.”
The Clarets, brimming
with confidence, were determined to enjoy a game of football.
The problem was that Villa were better than them at it. Too slick with the ball and too clinical when given time and space to exploit.
Even though Gerrard’s side have not pulled up too many trees this season, they still possess sufficient quality to punish the division’s deadbeats.
It was a lovely move that brought the first early on.
Ezri Konsa’s header forwards was chested down by Buendia and then Douglas Luiz and John Mcginn were involved before the South American saw Ings scampering into a gap.
The striker controlled and finished with his left foot. He didn’t celebrate. But he had made his point.
Matty Cash made his, too, a raking crossfield ball to Watkins, who involved Ings and Lucas Digne before the France international’s low centre was slotted home by Buendia via a deflection.
Burnley, however, just fell short in front of goal. Watkins’ header from Mcginn’s centre wrapped up the points, with Cornet’s consolation coming too late in the day.
Gerrard played down any talk that he had been disappointed with Coutinho’s contribution, saying: “I thought Emi was terrific. We’ve got five games in 15 days and it’s not fair to ask them to play all of them. I gave him an opportunity today and he’s taken it.
“We want Phil Coutinho here. Both he and Emi will get enough game time to keep them satisfied. Phil understands that.”
As for Jackson, he’s following the ageold mantra of taking it all in his stride.
“I’m looking at the bigger picture,” he said. “Things change very quickly in this game.
“I’ve been in football long enough to know the sky doesn’t fall in following a defeat. And neither does one victory make everyone a king, either.”