Clarets fail to build on their Kop heroics NOT GUD ENOUGH
THEY might have the keys to the Anfield fortress but neither side could unlock the door to a much-needed victory to ease their relegation worries.
Conquerors of Liverpool on Merseyside soil in successive games, both had opportunities to snatch the overall bragging rights and move further away from the bottom three.
There’s plenty of kudos in snatching victory against Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League champions but these are the games that go a long way to determining the destiny of the season.
Brighton, neat and compact in the first half and deserving their lead through skipper Lewis Dunk, were forced to man the barricades after the break as Sean Dyche’s side stormed back to level and had numerous chances to win it.
Dyche said: “The quality of chances we had were excellent. On another day I don’t think anyone would have been disgruntled if we had ended up with two or three goals. We’re a little disappointed because we were so dominant.
“There was a lot of conviction in our play. There was plenty of belief and I have to be pleased with the performance.”
Brighton by the skin of their teeth and through the reflexes of keeper Robert Sanchez were able to stretch their unbeaten run to five games.
Fresh from their stunning midweek success, Graham Potter’s side knew they would be in for a far different test of character against Burnley.
Potter admitted: “You have to credit the opposition. They put us under pressure in the second half. We could have gone under but we didn’t and hung on for a point.
“When you look back at the week (with wins against Spurs and Liverpool and a draw against Burnley) it’s been a good seven points.”
And in skipper Dunk (right) they possess a man of granite who is more than handy in both penalty boxes.
In the 38th minute it was in Burnley’s box where he prospered to break the deadlock with a trademark header.
Pascal Gross swung in a corner and Dunk, criminally free from any real challenge, was able to direct the ball past Johann Gudmundsson’s attempt to clear. Burnley themselves are still looking anxiously over their shoulders – although as they proved in ending Liverpool’s proud 68-game unbeaten home record they can also conjure up magic moments.
Without injured talismanic striker Chris Wood it was a hard slog up front for Ashley Barnes and Matej Vydra.
Dwight McNeil, with a low free-kick which almost foiled keeper Robert Sanchez, and a close range prod from James Tarkowski offered signs of what was to come.
And after being on hand to block another Dunk header from a Gross corner Gudmundsson popped up with a rare goal.
It arrived shortly after the break as Burnley increased their tempo after earlier looking like a side with the lowest goals count in the Premier League – just 13.
Make it 14 after Sanchez could only punch out a fierce drive from Erik Pieters to Gudmundsson. The Icelander was cool as you like drilling the follow-up into the net.
After that the final whistle couldn’t come soon enough for Brighton.
But they will also have to face most of the rest of the season without midfielder Solly March, who according to Potter is facing knee surgery.
“It looks like March will be out for 12 weeks,” said the Brighton boss. “And that is a real blow.”
We could have gone under but we didn’t, we hung on. When you look back at the week it’s been a good seven points