IT’S ALL ABOUT MEE AS DYCHE’S MEN WIN AT LAST

IT IS hardly surprising that Ben Mee’s return has brought consecutive clean sheets for Burnley, who are showing signs of rediscovering the sort of bite that has kept them up for so long. How that was needed last night. Looking at their run of fixtures from now until Christmas, anything but victory would have made for grim reading, given the gap opening above the bottom four. Sean Dyche’s side are still down there, and go to Manchester City this weekend, but the resilience shown against Crystal Palace offers hope. Mee’s mere presence lifts those around him and garners match-winning performances. That came via Nick Pope with two stunning second-half saves — the latter from Christian Benteke in the final minute was world-class — to record a first win of the campaign. With talismanic skipper Mee came more talking as Palace pushed for a late equaliser, more organisation to repel the majority of threats. That was evident throughout a night that brought a first goal for Burnley in 397 minutes of Premier League football. By contrast, Wilfried Zaha — who stayed down south self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 — has five to himself. ‘It got a bit nervy towards the end because we hadn’t found that first win, so to get that one done will do us the world of good,’ Dyche said after Burnley became the last side in the top four divisions to record a home point. ‘We mixed it and asked questions and found a moment that counted.’ Burnley’s forwards simply reacted sharper than their markers in the eighth minute, and the net bulged soon after. Cheikhou Kouyate’s miscued clearance spun off his head, Jay Rodriguez pounced to turn a ball round Scott Dann and Chris Wood was clear, forcefully firing beyond a helpless Vicente Guaita. ‘A gift,’ bemoaned Palace boss Roy Hodgson. But even without Zaha, Palace have enough pace and directness to unsettle anybody. After diligent work on the left from Eberechi Eze, Michy Batshuayi’s slide almost connected with James McArthur’s cross. Batshuayi later missed a big chance when one on one with Pope after being set free by Dwight McNeil’s blind back pass 40 yards from his own goal. A huge let-off. Pope also denied Nathaniel Clyne and Andros Townsend from distance, and saved Jordan Ayew’s drive. ‘Frustrating,’ was Hodgson’s verdict. ‘We took the game to them, we created a lot of situations but the last pass wasn’t there.’ Burnley ought to have been 2-0 ahead shortly after half-time. Johann Berg Gudmundsson was clear but crashed his shot against the bar. Guaita thwarted Wood after another Kouyate mistake. Back Palace came, Pope performing heroics, spreading to stop substitute Benteke prodding a certain late equaliser. Even with Mee, they were indebted to their colossal goalkeeper.

BURNLEY (4-4-2): POPE 8.5; Lowton 6.5, Tarkowski 7, Mee 8, Taylor 7; Gudmundsson 6 (Brady 67min, 6; Pieters 84), Westwood 7, Brownhill 6, McNeil 6.5; Wood 7.5, Rodriguez 7.5. Subs not used: PeacockFarrell, Long, Bardsley, Vydra, Barnes. Scorer: Wood 8. Booked: Rodriguez, Lowton. Manager: Sean Dyche 7. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Guaita 7; Clyne 6, Kouyate 4.5, Dann 6, Van Aanholt 6; Townsend 6.5, Riedewald 6 (Schlupp 67, 6), McArthur 6.5, Eze 7; Ayew 6 (Benteke 77), Batshuayi 6. Subs not used: Butland, Ward, Sakho, Cahill, Mitchell. Booked: None. Manager: Roy Hodgson 6.5. Referee: Kevin Friend 6.