Burnley 2 Brentford 1
Vincent Kompany knew something had to change if they are to retain their Premier League status. They welcomed Brentford to Turf Moor, with the hosts looking for their first win in ten games. That number features on The Clarets’ mind currently as it is also how many points from safety they are.
Burnley started on the front foot and as a ball was played in towards Vitinho in the box, Reguilon bundled into the back of him with the hosts demanding a penalty. The referee was not interested but after a VAR review, he was ordered to go and have a look at the monitor to change his decision.
Officials seem to be using the technology as a crutch now, too afraid to give decisions and if they have not got it right, it will correct them. Referees are becoming the scarecrows of sport, just standing there hoping their presence wards off trouble and mischief.
The Brentford defender was given his marching orders to boot, a no-brainer really considering he was the last line of defence and the Burnley player was six yards from goal. Not what Thomas Frank needed at any stage of the game, let alone 8 minutes in.
Credit: @premierleague
Bruun Larsen stepped up to take the spot kick, Flekken went the right way but it was struck too well into the corner for him to do anything about it. Suddenly, the home fans could see light at the end of the tunnel, but the same could be said for Princess Diana too.
Their days almost took a similar pattern as O’Shea played the ball back to his keeper who was nowhere near the goal. Muric managed to get back and clear it off the line, just as it looked like the visitors were level. Almost a comedic equaliser.
Kompany’s side should have been two up when Assignon cut the ball back from the byline to Fofana. The on-loan striker had a completely open goal but scuffed the ball wide to channel his inner Chelsea for the hosts. You wondered whether this would come back to haunt them.
The Bees took a quick free-kick in their own half and Toney slotted in Wissa. With only the keeper to beat, he tried to bend it in the far corner but Muric made a great save to deny him. The Clarets’ keeper was showing that Trafford might be spending more time on the bench from now.
Bruun Larsen had a sight of goal but his left-footed shot was straight at Flekken. The keeper then almost gifted the hosts a goal as he rolled the ball in front of himself, unaware that Fofana was lurking behind him. The away fans needed to shout ‘he’s behind you’ in panto fashion.
The striker ran in to steal the ball and but slipped as he went to go around him. He had another bite of the cherry as he tried to beat Flekken once again but he managed to slide in to get a foot to the ball, knocking it out for a corner.
Credit: @BurnleyOfficial
It became end to end stuff in the second half with both sides threatening. They were lacking the final ball all too often. Then Odobert spotted the run of Fofana and he scuffed a shot past Flekken to double Burnley’s lead. Kompany celebrated like he’d got off a murder charge.
Fit-again Bryan Mbuemo came off the bench for the visitors and was immediately involved. He slotted in Lewis-Potter who did everything right until the finish. That seems to be a trait of the youngster’s game, fantastic until the money-shot.
He did play a lovely lifted pass into the path of Toney, whose shot was well-saved by Muric. The Kosovan keeper was having a great game and offering a solidity at the back that The Clarets have been lacking all too often this season.
Mbuemo was causing the hosts problems since his introduction. He found Baptiste who whipped a cross into the box which was headed home by Ajer. His glancing header clipped the inside of the post before ending up in the inside netting of the opposite corner.
Brentford continued to press in the final stages of the game. As a ball was swung into the back post, Toney jumped to challenge the keeper, with the ball ending up in the back of the net. The referee immediately blew up and awarded a free kick for the foul on Muric. Replays agreed.
It was a massive win for Burnley and keeps their slim chance of avoiding relegation alive. For Brentford, with six games without a victory, Thomas Frank will be hoping the return of Mbuemo can spur his side into a run of form.
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