BURNLEY 1
DYCHE RUES DROPPED POINTS IN WEEK FROM HELL
to fire past Nick Pope. Dyche said: “It was another interesting afternoon, let’s say.
“Without being brilliant I thought we were solid but you can only control the controllables and things out of our control went against us.
“The fans want an even contest and to see it delivered.
“Apart from Nick Pope making a fantastic save we had done enough to win.
“Kevin Long was pulled back by the shirt when there wasn’t a lot in it to be honest, but everyone gets a free-kick from them.”
Just a few minutes earlier Pope had made a brilliant save from another Saints substitute Josh Sims, tipping the fierce drive against the post.
Pellegrino’s substitutions woke up the slumbering Saints who until then seemed resigned to another frustrating day in a sub-standard season.
Pellegrino admitted: “It was a very tight game. They try to put their opponents under pressure with the direct ball. But it was a fair result. I thought the substitutions helped make a difference.”
Burnley had made the breakthrough on 67 minutes, the lively Johann Berg Gudmundsson forcing a save from Alex Mccarthy. Jeff Hendrick headed the rebound goalwards for Barnes to apply the vital final touch.
A minute later Mccarthy was thankful that there was no VAR as most people apart from the officials were aware that he had handled outside his area in halting Aaron Lennon.
At least Dyche can survey his club’s worst run of the season from a creditable seventh place while the problems are not over for Pellegrino.
Despite an initial delight in salvaging a late point it’s now just one victory in the last 16 Premier League games.
His job must still be in some danger considering the Saints dispensed with Claude Puel despite finishing in eighth spot and reaching the League Cup final.
It wasn’t a game which will live long in the memory although for watching England boss Gareth Southgate it was a chance to run the rule over a number of World Cup hopefuls.
Burnley’s Jack Cork, uncapped keeper Pope and central defender Ben Mee, along with Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand, Nathan Redmond and James Ward-prowse were of special concern.
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