Cornet provides consolation for Burnley’s inability to hold leads

Southampton 2-2

The inevitability with which Southampton equalised was perhaps expected given their opener came after a five-minute siege on the Burnley goal in a first half dominated by Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

But there was another simpler fact the visiting fans will have been aware of this season: Burnley just cannot hold on to leads. Maxwel

Cornet’s first of a St Mary’s double was only the club’s sixth goal this campaign – a worrying enough statistic in itself – but it was the sixth time Burnley had been ahead in a match. That they departed the south coast still winless told a story.

They never looked like winning this one after taking the lead against the run of play. Southampton should have scored more than the two goals that came courtesy of Tino Livramento and Armando Broja – Nathan Redmond’s failure to tap into an open net from two yards will surely be the miss of the season – and only Cornet’s brilliant second salvaged a point for the visitors.

Asked why his side were inept at capitalising after going ahead, Sean Dyche struggled to offer a simple solution. “It’s a bit of everything,” the Burnley manager said. “We still haven’t got our first win so there’s a little bit of nerves. I didn’t think that affected us too much today, actually.

“Sometimes these things go against you. But to define a single moment is very difficult. Obviously we’re aware of the situation and working very hard. I don’t think we’re very far away from it.”

The one shining light was Cornet, a £13million summer signing from Lyon, who has three goals from three starts including a stunning strike on the turn from 25 yards after Southampton had gone 2-1 up.

With four Champions League goals against Manchester City to his name, the Ivorian will be crucial if Burnley are to stay in the top flight. It was no wonder Dyche described him as the “bit of difference we have been searching for”.