Wood denied chance to net hat-trick
Burnley’s penalty protocols prevailed as Kiwi striker Chris Wood was denied a chance to clinch his first English Premier League hat-trick.
Wood scored the first two goals in Burnley’s 3-1 away win over Brighton yesterday.
But, when Burnley won a penalty in the 74th minute, the spotkick call went to Wood’s striking partner Ashley Barnes, who had converted a penalty in the previous round.
It was probably fair enough. Barnes had been chopped down in the Brighton penalty area, just after Wood had missed an open goal from 15 metres.
Burnley could, however, have been forgiven if they had gone for the sentimental option and given Wood the chance to become only the second Burnley player to score an EPL hat-trick, after Andre Gray in a 4-1 win over Sunderland in 2016.
Barnes successfully converted the spotkick to join Wood as Burnley’s joint leading scorer this season with seven goals.
It was Wood’s second EPL brace after striking twice in a 3-0 win over West Ham last season, his first with the Lancashire club.
The 27-year-old has scored five goals in seven games since Burnley began an unbeaten run in late December to claw away from the relegation zone.
Burnley’s revival has coincided with the return of former England goalkeeper Tom Heaton and manager Sean Dyche’s decision to partner Wood and Barnes together in a two-man attack.
‘‘We’ve been brave to play two centre-forwards away from home,’’ Dyche said after the win. ‘‘I think we’ve got excellent forwards, and their energy and pride is really helping us. They’re scoring goals and we’re making it difficult for the teams we’re playing against. When you have a front to your team the game has a different feel to it.’’
Meanwhile, with fans growing increasingly nervous, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp knew his players needed to make a statement about their title credentials against Bournemouth.
They delivered just the right message with a rampant display in a 3-0 win at Anfield that not only put the team back atop the English Premier League standings but also showed that fears over another late-season collapse may be unwarranted.
‘‘We wanted to show a reaction. It’s our job not only to come through but to really perform and convince,’’ said Klopp, whose team is looking for a first league title since 1990 but had let a sevenpoint lead to Manchester City slip away in recent weeks.
The win means City, who took the lead on goal difference on Thursday, must beat Chelsea today in order to prevent Liverpool from establishing another gap with a game in hand. Liverpool have 65 points from 26 games, with City on 62.
Chelsea are also under pressure going into today’s game after top-four rivals Manchester United and Arsenal won yesterday. United climbed above Chelsea into fourth with a 3-0 win at Fulham, while Arsenal are level on points with Maurizio Sarri’s side after beating bottom-placed Huddersfield 2-1.
On a day where every game was preceded by a minute’s silence for Emiliano Sala following the confirmation of the Argentine striker’s death, Cardiff ended an emotional week with a crucial victory. The Welsh team moved out of the relegation zone by beating Southampton 2-1 thanks to Kenneth Zohore’s stoppage-time winner.
Sala’s body was recovered on Thursday from the crashed plane that was taking him to Cardiff, after he signed for the club from Nantes in January.
In other games, Watford beat Everton 1-0 and Crystal Palace drew at home against West Ham 1-1.