The Sunday Post (Dundee)

BU RNLEY 1 Barton (78) SOU THAMPTON 0

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JOEY BARTON announced his return to the Premier League with a late winner as Burnley moved into the Premier League’s top half with victory over Southampto­n.

The 34-year-old agreed to rejoin the Clarets earlier this month following an ill-fated spell with Rangers and 601 days after his previous appearance in England’s top flight, when his QPR team were beaten 5-1 by Leicester, Barton came off the bench to place home a late free-kick.

Sean Dyche has taken a risk in reacquirin­g Barton, not least because he faces a possible Football Associatio­n ban for breaching betting regulation­s, but his popularity at Turf Moor has endured. The admiration was reciprocat­ed as the midfielder fist-pumped in front of the crowd after scoring.

Turf Moor had been the venue for each of Burnley’s previous seven top-flight wins and it was on their home form alone that they entered this contest with a chance to move into the top half.

Away from east Lancashire it has been a different story, with just a solitary point returned from their travels, and the 3-1 loss in this reverse fixture back in October had seen Saints rain in 34 shots at Tom Heaton’s goal.

The England internatio­nal was less busy in the opening 45 minutes here, even if Southampto­n spent much of the half on top.

Dusan Tadic steered one attempt wide from the left-hand side of the box before lashing in a full volley from a similar region that Ben Mee had to clear on the back post.

Mee was an unlikely threat at the other end having headed a corner wide and fired another attempt off target from the edge of the area, but he was caught out in his defensive duties as Saints launched a 40th-minute counter-attack.

Shane Long lost Mee down the right and his cross was met by the oncoming James WardProwse, whose downward header was beaten away by Heaton.

Five minutes after coming on, Barton was presented with a freekick after Oriel Romeu fouled George Boyd.

From around 25 yards away from Forster’s goal, Barton deceived the Saints keeper by planting the set-piece low, around the wall and into the net.

Ryan Bertrand and Van Dijk were both denied equalisers by Heaton, who then made a terrific double save to thwart Jay Rodriguez and Josh Sims.

However, it was Barton who would grab the headlines, as has so often been the case in his colourful career.

 ??  ?? Joey Barton celebrates scoring the only goal.
Joey Barton celebrates scoring the only goal.

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