The Vinner takes it all
GOING GETS TURF BUT KOMPANY MEN CELEBRATE VITAL VICTORY
FINALLY Burnley got the win to give them the slimmest of survival hopes, but only just.
For once, they got the breaks as Sergio Reguilon saw red early on and they led 2-0 before Brentford’s 10 men late fightback. The visitors pulled one back with nine minutes left and had a 96thminute effort ruled out for a foul by Ivan Toney on Arijanet Muric. Burnley ended their 10-game winless league run and could be handed a lifeline if Everton and Nottingham Forest are docked points for breaching the Premier League’s finance rules.
Brentford are being dragged into the relegation scrap and Thomas Frank’s side have taken just one point from their last six games.
Frank (left) will be heartened by the fight and they pulled one back late on through Kristoffer Ajer.
This marked Muric’s triumphant return to make his Premier League debut after Vincent Kompany finally bowed to fan pressure by dropping James Trafford.
The game’s key moment came in the fourth minute when Reguilon shoved over Vitinho in the box as he shot from Josh Cullen’s pass.
Referee Darren Bond did not give anything and only awarded Burnley a penalty and sent off Reguilon after being urged by VAR Paul Tierney to review the incident.
The review lasted five-and-a-half minutes as Reguilon became the fastest Premier League player to be sent off this season, but Burnley got what they deserved.
Jacob Bruun Larsen scored from the spot in the 10th minute to give them the lead. Burnley nearly messed up and Muric hooked Dara O’shea’s suicidal back pass off the line before saving Toney's follow-up.
They should have had a second when Lorenz Assignon produced great work on the right to set up David Fofana, who mis-kicked from just two yards out on front of goal.
Burnley were nearly caught napping again and Toney sent Yoane Wissa away from aquickly-taken free-kick, only for Muric to save his shot.
Fofana kept going and he showed great guile to come from behind and rob Mark Fleken as he threw the ball down to take a kick, but
slipped and the Brentford goalkeeper blocked his shot.
The game was decided in the 61st minute when first Vitinho made a goalsaving tackle on Keane Lewis-potter, after giving away possession,
Burnley broke and Wilson Odobert slipped in Fofana for his fourth goal in eight games.
Brentford’s 10 men battled back and Ajer gave them hope, heading home off the far post on 81 minutes from Shandon Baptiste’s cross.
The Bees sensed a point but Muric held Lewis-potter’s header before a 96th-minute was chalked off for a foul by Toney on Muric.