RALPH IS UP AND RUNNING AFTER INGS NETS AGAIN
INGS are getting better for Saints thanks to their Danny boy’s latest goal-den moment.
An early strike from Burnley old boy Danny Ings put Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side back on track after a disastrous start.
But the opening three defeats were swept aside thanks to the man who is on Spurs boss Jose Mourinho’s shopping list.
Ings struck in the fifth minute to leave depleted Burnley with a mountain to climb – one they thought they had pulled off with an equaliser from Chris Wood.
It appeared that the New Zealander was denied by a rogue offside flag which prompted referee Andre Marriner to blow his whistle.
It meant that VAR couldn’t come into use after the assistant referee went against the protocol of keeping the flag down until the end of the move.
And with the same man denied a penalty it was a tough evening for boss Sean Dyche.
Both sides were looking for some shelter from the storm which had ripped through them on their last outings, Burnley shipping four goals at Leicester and Saints five to Spurs.
And it only took four minutes for Ings to remind the home side what he is all about.
The ex-claret, who is in England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans, owed his bright start to the unselfishness of Che Adams who, following Kyle Walker-peters’ pass, fed the ball into his path.
Despite Jimmy Dunne’s attempted challenge Ings (right) was able to steer past Nick Pope to maintain a wonderful sequence of scoring for the South Coast club.
Since the start of last season Ings has notched 25 of his club’s 54 goals. Adams should
Burnley ...................... 0 Southampton .............. 1 have weighed in with a goal in another devastating Saints attack but could only look up to the heavens in disgust as he ballooned Ryan Bertrand’s inviting cross over the bar.
This was Burnley lite with Dyche having to name four youngsters on the substitutes bench without a minute’s Premier League experience after being stripped of seven first-teamers through injuries.
Even with new signing Dale Stephens making his debut it was another occasion for Dyche to have to overcome the odds, something he does regularly. Boosted by the early goal, Southampton stroked the ball about with confidence with Moussa Djenepo prominent. Dyche was fuming when
Wood went down in the box after a tangle with Jan Bednarek but to no avail, VAR Mike Dean remaining passive. His mood would have lightened if Alex Mccarthy hadn’t made a great save late on to deny Charlie Taylor. For Burnley fans talk of a takeover involving American group ALK Capital is music to their ears with the club always punching above their weight and in need of substantial investment in the team to maintain their progress in the Premier League.