Six appeal for Neil as he looks to edge out their ‘enemy’
half-time. Josip Drmic was contesting possession with Dwight McNeil – again, in front of the managers.
The ball ran away from the Swiss striker towards Erik Pieters. In his desperation to win it back, he cleaned out the defender.
It was high, late, reckless. It ticked all the boxes.
Norwich boss Daniel Farke said: “Burnley are an experienced Premier League team.
“They realised we were giving them problems and needed to disrupt our rhythm and provoke us. We walked into their trap and two red cards was the result. It was naive, inexperienced, stupid. All those words are right.
“It wasn’t acceptable. It’s impossible to win points with eight outfield players. You won’t hear any excuses blaming the referee. We need to look in the mirror and accuse ourselves.”
Pieters was still limping upfield when Burnley belted the ball from the resultant free-kick.
It was half-cleared but returned into the area by Johann Berg Gudmundsson from the right. Chris Wood met it on the full, acrobatically – albeit with his shin
– and it dribbled in. Tim Krul saved impressively three times to keep out the Burnley onslaught before centre-half Ben Godfrey lamely tapped the ball past his own keeper with 10 minutes left.
Burnley’s victory moved them to within two points of sixth-placed Wolves.
“For Burnley to be in Europe would be amazing,” said Dyche.
“But we are not blessed with the greatest number of players and most teams – including ourselves three years ago – have a tough time with the demands of the Premier League too. But there’s a definite kudos to it.” Dyche said that while Drmic’s challenge on Pieters was “unacceptable”, Buendia had given the official a decision to make. He said: “The game is now so weak, physically, that players go down if they are touched.
“So if you raise your arm –and there was intentional movement – you put the referee in a predicament. He doesn’t need to do it.”
Pope has now registered 15 shut-outs one ahead of Man City’s Ederson and two more than Liverpool’s Alisson, and Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson.
NEIL HARRIS branded Cardiff’s final day play-off bid as a “straight shoot out between us and the enemy up the road”.
Josh Murphy took Cardiff to the brink of a top-six finish to set up a last-day showdown with South Wales neighbours Swansea.
Harris’ men brushed aside pathetic Boro with ease, with a double strike from winger Murphy and a goal from defender Sean Morrison.
City have to avoid defeat at home to Hull on Wednesday for a crack at the top flight through the play-offs.
If they lose, Swansea can overhaul them in sixth place with a win.
Boss Harris said: “Whoever deserves it will get it.
“We’ll focus on ourselves. Anything can happen on the final day. We need character at this stage of the season.
“The players are fully aware of the stakes.
“I will say, ‘Over to you, time to deliver now’. I have faith in my players.”
He said Murphy’s goals were his most important yet for the club.
“Josh has not played much in the last few weeks and was feeling sorry for himself. He wanted to play and loves football,” he said.
“Murph has to be an integral part of the team, defensive shape, be aggressive and put his body on the line, be reliable and have the X-factor. You want your attacking players to score and I am delighted for him.”
Cardiff conjured a storming start to the first and second halves to seal the points.
Morris’ unchallenged header, from Joe Ralls’ corner, gave them an early lead. And within 70 seconds of the second-half restart, Murphy sped half the length of the pitch into the empty Boro half to finish from 18 yards.
Murphy, on as a sub after 17 minutes, then added his eighth of the campaign in the 81st minute.
Britt Assombalonga curled home a 25-yard consolation in the 85th minute. Boro were reduced to 10 men when Jonny Howson was sent off in the last minute for a second yellow card.
City were dominant and the lack of bite from his side will worry Neil Warnock.
He has dropped a big hint he will stay on next season but needs to talk to chairman Steve Gibson if they avoid relegation.
He said: “The mental side of players has to be stronger. It showed up what we have known. You have to be able to mark at corners.
“They were more professional in places.”
Hapless Boro have now gone 10 games without a home win, since Boxing Day.
Warnock said of his former club: “I would absolutely like to see them promoted.
“It will be a good side to beat them and everything is in place.
“It’s the same group as I had and they’re a fabulous bunch.”