GREAT ESCAPE IS REALLY ON!
Clarets fans have a new messiah in Jackson as late show leaves Roy on the brink
TWO weeks can be an eternity in football. In that time, Burnley fans have not only got over losing Sean Dyche but at Vicarage Road yesterday they stayed behind 20 minutes after the final whistle to chant ‘We’ve got super Michael Jackson’ about their unlikely new managerial messiah.
Jackson, the unheralded Under-23s coach asked to step in when Dyche was surprisingly axed, has presided over three wins and a draw in his four matches in charge. The Great Escape is now a distinct possibility with the Clarets five points ahead of 18th-placed Everton, albeit having played a couple of games more.
The manner in which they inflicted an 11th consecutive home defeat in a row on Watford spoke volumes for their new spirit. Trailing to an unfortunate own goal from James Tarkowski after eight minutes, Burnley battered away at the Watford goal for most of the second half with Jackson taking the big decision to remove £12million January signing Wout Weghorst for club stalwart Ashley Barnes.
Barnes hit the crossbar following a wonder save by Ben Foster but even then they didn’t feel sorry for themselves.
After 83 minutes, left back Charlie Taylor went on a lungbusting run to the byline and crossed for Jack Cork to equalise with a diving header, his first goal since 2018.
Three minutes later, Matej Vydra — who only started because Jay Rodriguez had a hamstring issue in the warm-up — showed composure to tee up Josh Brownhill, whose finish from 18 yards led to frenzied celebrations.
Brownhill sprinted 100 yards to join the ecstatic travelling fans at the other end of the pitch. The backroom team spilled onto the pitch to celebrate and Barnes knee-slid in front of the home support who know their team is now doomed, 12 points from safety with four games left.
‘It was a great result. These games are so emotionally charged, you won’t get silky football. It is about winning,’ said Jackson. ‘You can never criticise this team’s togetherness. To equalise and then score the winner, it was just mayhem.
‘I’ve told the players to enjoy tonight but be ready to recover and let’s go again next week. They are experienced enough to know that.
‘It was great to see those scenes at the end. We could hear our fans even before we went out for the game. They were bouncing and we had to try and use them.’
On the turnaround in fortunes since Dyche’s departure, the modest Jackson said: ‘You get results and the belief comes. There has been no magic wand.
‘It’s not to comment about the future [his full-time managerial prospects]. I am not even bothered about that. All I care about is this group being ready for the next game. Can we achieve what we want to?’
Watford are going down because they haven’t taken a point at Vicarage Road since beating Manchester United 4-1 in November.
Their manager Roy Hodgson clambered off his sickbed to watch the latest defeat, having been too unwell to attend training on Friday.
The 74-year-old left all the jumping about in the technical area to his assistant Ray Lewington, who also fielded the post-match questions.
‘There is a massive fear factor at home,’ he said. ‘Whether we are doomed our not, we can’t let the last four games fade away.
‘I feel sorry for the fans. To keep coming in their numbers is fantastic but to make excuses to them, they won’t want that either.’
It had all started so well for the Hornets. Kiko Femenia’s cross made its way to Juraj Kucka in the box and when he thundered a shot against the crossbar, it rebounded to Tarkowski and trickled over the line.
They were also on the right end of a VAR call after 27 minutes, when referee Craig Pawson awarded a penalty for Moussa Sissoko’s foul on Dwight McNeil until replays showed it was just outside the box.
Burnley played the second half like men whose Premier League futures depended on it. Aaron Lennon was denied by Foster when clean through and Barnes almost made an instant impact off the bench, his close-range header brilliantly tipped onto the bar by the Watford keeper.
Ultimately, the Clarets weren’t to be denied. Watford wilted and strangely
Hodgson did not make any substitutions. Kucka looked fatigued as Taylor ran past him to set up the equaliser with a wonderful cross that swerved away from Foster into Cork’s path.
They didn’t settle for a point. The ball was pumped into the penalty area at every opportunity until it dropped neatly for Brownhill to drive home.
It sparked incredible scenes in the away end as they realised the importance of the goal. They will all be Chelsea fans today when Thomas
Tuchel’s side face Everton at Goodison Park.
For 74-year-old Hodgson, it is a sobering time. Lewington didn’t rule out the pair staying at Watford next season if the Pozzo owners want it.
Certainly, they aren’t going to voluntarily walk before the end of this season. ‘We are going to see it through,’ said Lewington.