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Post by Premier League News on Feb 28, 2015 18:06:12 GMT
Burnley 0 - 1 Swansea CitySwansea City: Kieran Trippier 64 o.g.
Burnley’s grasp on their Premier League status is weakening. A side that competes admirably conceded farcically as Swansea secured victory at Turf Moor with a goal that involved Burnley’s past, in Jack Cork, and their present, as Kieran Trippier inadvertently applied the decisive touch. Their last six games have yielded just two points and a chance to escape the relegation zone was spurned. With Liverpool and Manchester City their next two opponents, they face the prospect of an extended stay in the bottom three. But Swansea could savour their resilience as history repeated itself. In August, they followed victory against Manchester United with a 1-0 win over Burnley. So, too, in February. Both of these sides were scourges of supposed superpowers last week, when the Clarets took a point at Chelsea, but Swansea were able to build on that win against United last week. Given Sean Dyche’s preference for unchanged teams, it was unsurprising that Ashley Barnes kept his place in the attack, much as José Mourinho wanted him banned for his “criminal” challenge on Nemanja Matic. Vilified by the Chelsea manager, he was celebrated by the Burnley public, who cheered his name loudest when it was announced. A still noisier ovation beckoned after a quarter of the game when after the spinning Danny Ings occupied three defenders, the ball fell Barnes’s way. Six yards out, he had the chance to score his sixth goal of the season. Instead Lukasz Fabianski blocked the striker’s shot with his chest. And, after an uneventful opening, Swansea were also afforded the chance to score. Jonjo Shelvey found Wayne Routledge with a raking pass and he lobbed Tom Heaton but saw his effort drop wide. It was a sign that Routledge represented Swansea’s major threat. The winger was standing in as a striker, but orbiting around the target man Bafétimbi Gomis intelligently as Garry Monk deployed the same tactics, complete with a diamond midfield, that brought victory against Manchester United. Gomis has been charged with compensating for Wilfried Bony’s departure and, despite his somewhat fortunate winner against United, is providing an uncertain impression of the sold Ivorian. Shelvey again showed his playmaking skills to find the Frenchman in space behind the Burnley defence. He blazed high over Heaton’s bar. Mourinho felt penalty decisions went Burnley’s way, and Michael Kightly’s in particular, last week. Not this. Once again, there was an appeal for handball and it was rejected. Just as Kightly did not concede a spot kick at Stamford Bridge, nor did Federico Fernández when the winger’s flick hit first his thigh and then his hand. Reprieved at one end, Swansea duly scored at the other. Gomis flicked on Shelvey’s corner for the former Burnley player Cork and, when his shot was brilliantly touched on to the bar by Heaton, the midfielder miscued his attempt to convert the rebound. The grounded Heaton saved again, only to see the ball bounce in off Trippier’s thigh. Fabianski continued his fine display with saves from Barnes and substitute Sam Vokes to deny Burnley an equaliser while substitute Nélson Oliveira almost added an injury-time second for Swansea from an acute angle. By Richard Jolly, Guardian
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