Joey Barton announced his return to the Premier League in typical style as he came off the bench to give the Clarets the win that lifted them into the top half of the Premier League.
Many might have thought Barton’s top-flight days were done when he left Turf Moor in the summer to join Glasgow Rangers.
But Barton’s life story rarely follows the script and after re-joining Burnley at the start of January, the 34-year-old popped up with the late goal that gave Sean Dyche’s relentless side a fourth home win in a row and sixth in their last seven home Premier League games.
Barton’s free-kick needed a deflection to find the back of the net – mirroring the effort he scored in Burnley’s derby win at Preston as they closed in on promotion last season.
But another totally committed team performance earned that slice of luck as Barton’s first Premier League goal since April, 2015 almost vindicated his return to Lancashire with one swing of his right boot.
With wide men Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Scott Arfield both injured, Dyche opted to start with Steven Defour on the left-hand side of midfield, rather than disrupt the shape that had brought the Clarets’ back-to-back home wins over Christmas and taken them to within a point of the Saints in the middle of the table.
Three successive league defeats had stalled Southampton’s progress but a mid-week EFL Cup semi-final, first-leg win over Liverpool had restored confidence in Claude Puel’s side – reflected in their first-half performance which saw the visitors create the better of the few chances on offer.
Puel made three changes to the side that had beaten the Reds, including leaving out Jay Rodriguez on the former Burnley striker’s first return to Turf Moor.
To read the full match report please click on the link below;
Nicked a couple of points today - but I'll take it! Hardly had a sniff at goal, mainly because of that Van Dijk lad - very impressive player.
Defense was immense. Both full backs seem to be getting better and better as the season goes on. Mee and Keane looked solid, except for the expected slips by Ben. Heaton is simply the best goalie in England.
Hendrick also getting better and better. Marney was off the pace and Defour out of position.
10th place and 10 off the bottom three - and the sun is finally shining here in LA - what a day!
I wasn't impressed at all with Hendrick, he just doesn't have the close control to play that position with any authority, and we were back to the same turgid midfield that struggled against Boro, and struggled again in this game.
And all the while the man who could run midfield in his sleep is parked out on the wing, a spectator for the most part.
You can't argue with Dyche, he gets most things right, but I'd love to know what he sees down Gawthorpe, or even from his little box on the touchline, that makes him think Hendrick is more suited to that role than Defour.
And that half-wit who gave Hendrick MOM, I'd love to know what he's on, I want some.
Well its easy to see... Hendrick is all action, runn ing, striving, working...what I call a windmill player... whizzing round all oer the place... the perfect Dyche player
couldn't believe the way we lined up, worst home performance of the season as well, should have been Boyd Marney Defour Hendrick. Defour wasted tracking back out wide.
However it sounds as though they all played as a team where and how SD wanted them to plus, perhaps fortuitously, we got 3 points. It doesn't have to be pretty...
I think you're being a bit hard on Hendrick BC. From what I saw, he looked the best of the midfield 4. Having said that, I would have started Defour in the middle with Marney and had Hendrick out wide. Seemed to do OK there in the cup game at Sunderland. Defour looked a bit lost, waste of his talent out wide methinks.
Then again, 3 more points in the bag - what the hell do I know?
You know what impresses me re Hendrick? Its that he always wants to go forwards and doesn't look to play it backwards. He really is an exciting player and I reckon the best is yet to come
He plays it backwards and sideways often enough soapy, in fact every time an opposition player closes him down in his own half, that's if his close control doesn't let him down and he loses the ball first.
I've seen Marney and Hendrick in midfield for two out of our last three home games, Boro and Southampton, we haven't scored a goal while they've been on the pitch together, and the overall performance was poor in both games. Against Sunderland it was Marney and Defour and we scored four in 68 minutes and played them off the park.
It's nothing personal with Hendrick, but just because we paid £10m for him I'm not going to deny the evidence of my own eyes, I'm just saying what I see. Defour is far more skilled and uses the ball much more intelligently, his range of passing is superior and he's much more adept at bringing other players into the game, that much is surely indisputable, but Sean prefers whatever attributes he sees in Hendrick. It bemuses me but that's the way it is.
When Hendrick plays higher up the pitch, he looks more comfortable and is more of a threat. Defor has more vision & precision when it comes to seeing and making a telling pass. The more they play together the better the 'engine room' is functioning.
Be great if we can get something from our trip to the Emirates Stadium.
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