Wood’s deadly double piles misery on Brighton
over the bar, Mane headed wide with a clear chance, Keita scooped too high from close range, and Firmino shot straight at the keeper after a lightning counter-attack.
Substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold, welcomed back from injury, also had a late shot blocked by goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
It could and should have been many more goals yesterday for Liverpool, and they will hope that their goal difference, which is slightly inferior to Manchester City’s, is immaterial in the final title reckoning. CHRIS WOOD kept up his hot scoring streak against former club Brighton to help earn a precious win for Burnley.
Wood, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Seagulls, made it seven goals in nine starts against Chris Hughton’s men.
First he pounced on a blunder by Lewis Dunk – and then coolly slotted home after being teed up by Dwight McNeil.
Ashley Barnes, another former Brighton man, added a 74th-minute penalty to further boost Burnley’s survival hopes.
Burnley had not had a penalty for That is another column in the league table which can often be crucial – but rarely so in the history of the Premier League. 67 league matches until last week – but Barnes despatched his second in two games.
But that came just moments after the home side were controversially denied their own spot-kick as Jeff Hendrick appeared to handle in the box.
Tom Heaton, the man brought in from the cold by manager Sean Dyche, also helped the Clarets come out on top in a vital relegation sixpointer.
A string of excellent saves from the former England goalkeeper in the first half kept Brighton at bay.
Last year Heaton was considering his future after seeing Nick Pope take his place for club and country while he was out injured – and then Joe Hart arrived.
But having ousted Hart, Heaton has played a massive part in the Clarets’ unbeaten league run of seven games that has transformed their season.
This result saw Burnley draw level on points with Brighton – who are the side in freefall after just one win in 11 league games in the scramble to avoid the drop. Boos rang out at fulltime. It was Hughton’s 200th game in charge of Brighton – and it all turned sour.
Shane Duffy headed one back for Brighton, but it was much too little and too late.
Brighton 1 Burnley 3 Hector Nunns