DYCHE’S MEN GRANIT GAFFE
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spotted he had deflected Pepe’s fierce volley on to the bar with his shoulder rather than his arm.
“I think Andre Marriner is a top referee, so I couldn’t understand why it took him a mili-second to show a red card,” said Burnley boss Sean Dyche.
ASTON VILLA ....... 0 WOLVES ............. 0
ROMAIN SAISS came up with a contender for miss of the season as the woodwork came out on top in this derby dust-up.
The Wolves’ defender missed an open goal from less than a yard to deny Nuno Espirito Santo’s side a muchneeded win – and spare Aston Villa from defeat.
The centre-back had marched upfield at a corner. After Pedro Neto produced an inswinging cross Conor Coady sent a header crashing into the upright and Saiss somehow spooned the ball over the bar.
With both sides coming off the back of midweek defeats, a fast start would have been on the minds of both managers.
But it wasvilla who showed first, Ollie Watkins trying his luck from 25 yards, with his shot thumping the woodwork.
And then Bertrand Traore crossed for Ezri Konsa, who chested down before slamming a shot into a similar spot on Rui Patricio’s goalframe. Dean Smith gave a first run-out to midfielder Morgan Sanson – the £15million signing from Marseille was preferred to Marvelous Nakamba and Ross Barkley – andvilla’s new-look midfield undoubtedly held the upper hand as the half progressed.
Wolves looked far more interested after the interval and the home side were struggling to gain control.
And then came Saiss’s staggering miss. Both the defender and skipper Coady stood there with hands on their heads at the let-off.
And they reproduced that pose again a few minutes later as Emi Martinez earned his keep with a superb pointblank stop from Coady.