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Just as he’s going to be subbed, McNeil strikes to boost Burnley survival bid
SEAN DYCHE has chosen to compartmentalise this season and, given Burnley had mustered a meagre 12 points by Boxing Day, it is not difficult to see why.
A first half of the campaign to forget and, despite four defeats preceding this vital victory, a second half to remember.
They remain in grave danger, five points clear of third-from-bottom Cardiff having played two games more, but the 21 points gained from 13 matches has given them more than a fighting chance. One that seemed scarcely possible not so long ago.
For that, Dyche and his players deserve enormous credit, even if they are generally playing poorly and well below the requisite standard under his stewardship.
‘ I’m really pleased how we’ve tuned in since Christmas,’ said Dyche. ‘It’s a strange situation really. The mentality is strong enough.’
It needed to be yesterday. Burnley led inside two minutes — Conor Coady sliding into his own net — but were penned back for much of this encounter.
Wolves prowled for an equaliser that seemed for lengthy spells like a formality. Burnley were clearing with relief rather than aim.
The desperation to cling on was anxiously intense inside a stadium that was alive to the drama of a relegation scrap.
Turf Moor felt different, the decibel levels up, the crowd hoping to prompt a performance from their side.
Burnley were courageously holding firm — special mentions for Ben Mee and James Tarkowski — before Dwight McNeil took the floor.
McNeil’s ingenuity from a quick free-kick manufactured the opening goal but his contribution to Burnley widening the gap with the bottom three heightened with 13 minutes left.
A ball broke in midfield and he was allowed to stretch his legs for the first time in a long time.
The 19-year-old, who is possibly the only individual positive of a season that Dyche will want to see the back of, carried possession with purpose. He took Wolves defenders with him, mazing towards goal, using Chris Wood as a decoy, and arrowed into Rui Patricio’s corner.
A fabulous goal, his third in senior football. The only teenager to have been involved in as many goals this s e a s o n a s McNeil’s s e ven is Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.
And McNeil, who trained with Gareth Southgate’s England squad last week, only started playing regularly at Christmas.
Dyche was actually about to bring the winger off. ‘No, I was leaving him on because I knew exactly when he was going to score,’ joked Dyche, celebrating his 300th game in charge. ‘It was one of those crystal ball moments, I have intuition.
‘We were looking at him earlier in the season but it is the timing of it.
‘People talk about Tom Heaton coming back into the team but he’s definitely played his part in how we’ve begun to turn things around.
‘He is fearless in his thinking in tough situation and pulling out things that count in games. That shows the mentality and strength he has. He’s some e player.’
Dyche underwent nt a back operation over ver the international break and Burnley do need a bit of surgery over the summer should they retain their topflight status.
Whether that is possible will come down to owner Mike Garlick’s wallet and technical director Mike Rigg’s eye for talent.
Their recent record in the transfer market has not been good enough of late. For now, though, this result was hugely significant, particularly given Southampton’s win at Brighton. Incidentally, Dyche’s first game in charge was a 2-0 win over Wolves. Wolves certainly ought to have done more to threaten Heaton’s goal — Adama Traore was super until a final ball was required, for example — and Nuno Espirito Santo was furious ahead of Manchester United on Tuesday and next weekend’s FA Cup semi-final with Watford. ‘There are a lot of things we have to look at at,’ he said. ‘We need to l ook at our defensive org o r g a n i s a t i o n . We ’ v e m made clear big mista takes. ‘We have to recover well. Burnley are very organised, very physical. We need to c compete better a against United. We mu must be clinical.’ M McNeil was. His quick thinki thinking followed by his purposef purposefulness proved the difference. Come May, i t could be t he difference between the Premier League and Championship.