Jay Rodriguez scored a stoppage-time penalty as Burnley snatched a 1-0 victory over Swansea to end a four-game winless run.
For 90 minutes it had looked like being another frustrating afternoon for a Burnley side without a goal in their previous three games and desperately lacking creativity.
But as some fans were heading for the exits, Matt Grimes handled in the penalty area while battling Burnley substitutes Rodriguez and Hannibal for the ball and, after a pause, referee David Webb pointed to the spot.
The win allows Burnley to close the gap to the top two to four points, although boss Scott Parker will know this was not the performance of automatic promotion contenders.
Far too often in the match Burnley – who had scored only eight goals in their last 12 league games before this – settled for shots from outside the box, and it had been Swansea who had gone closer when Liam Cullen’s second-half header was cleared off the line.
Lawrence Vigouroux – the 30-year-old goalkeeper who spent last season at Turf Moor but never made an appearance for the Clarets – was rarely tested until Rodriguez sent him the wrong way from the penalty spot to score his first goal in 11 months.
Indeed, the only time Vigouroux had a real save to make in a first half as dull as the weather came right at the end of it, when Luca Koleosho used a beautiful touch to control a raking pass before cutting inside Josh Key, seeing his powerful shot palmed away.
As the half-time whistle loomed, Josh Cullen, already booked for bringing down Ronald, caught Zan Vipotnik late, but referee Webb ignored the screams from the Swansea bench.
The visitors began the second half showing greater ambition and Ronald brought a save from James Trafford when he got his head on the end of Key’s cross in the 50th minute.
At the other end, Burnley’s Connor Roberts, a Swansea academy product, centred the ball for Jeremy Sarmiento, but the Brighton loanee could not get his shot on target from a dangerous position.
The frustration was growing inside Turf Moor and it almost got much worse in the 64th minute when the hosts needed Maxime Esteve to clear Swansea substitute Cullen’s header off the line after Key was allowed too much time to cross.
Burnley wanted a penalty in the 70th minute when Esteve, stepping out of defence in a bid to make something happen, tumbled in the box as he passed Key, but his fall looked exaggerated.
Clarets captain Josh Brownhill was then relieved to see Swansea substitute Florian Bianchini fire wide after losing possession on the edge of his own box.
In the 84th minute, CJ Egan-Riley got a flick on Jaidon Anthony’s inswinging corner, but Vigouroux was in the right place to block it on the line.
Just when it looked as though their last chance had gone, Bashir Humphreys sent in a cross from the left and, as Swansea struggled to deal with it, the ball struck the raised arm of Grimes to give Burnley the opportunity they needed.
Team AnalysisVietnam The two-legged finals include home and away games. Vietnam will be at home first, and they hope to grab the advantage in goal difference, with strong morale.Vietnamese naturalized forward Nguyen Xuan Son scored twice in the last game. He made his first cap for Vietnam in this ASEAN Championship, giving 5 goals and 2 assists in his three starting games so far, and he is leading...
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Epl week 19 LOL When you spot it Show yourselves. Next match: Supercoppa Italiana Semi-Final: Juventus FC vs AC Milan. Cristiano Ronaldo has Scored 97 GOALS since the start of 2023! Bro Traveled with his Mom all the way from Mongolia to Old Trafford.. ... only to watch Manchester United drop another stinker and lose again. Gotta feel for him and all the Manchest...
Amorim admits Man Utd will NOT have money to spend in JanuaryRuben Amorim has revealed Manchester United will not have money to spend in the January transfer window despite the need for new signings.Speaking candidly to reporters on Monday night about the possibility of January transfers, Amorim stated, "We don't have that possibility in January. You know the situation better than I [do]. It's not...
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has been called out by Jamie Carragher after claiming he encouraged Real Madrid to submit a bid for him in January.The Reds have reportedly turned down an attempt from Real Madrid to secure the services of the right-back in the January transfer window.Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has been called out by Jamie CarragherAlexander-Arnold will be free to n...
Man United star Antony could leave the Premier League club during the January transfer window, and the winger may be offered a way out by a La Liga team. The agent of Antony admitted that several clubs have made approaches for the Brazilian ahead of the January window as the 24-year-old looks for a way out of Old Trafford having fallen out of favour in Manchester.Ruben Amorim vowed to help Antony ...
Barcelona could lose Dani Olmo for the second half of the season after LaLiga said the Catalan club are not in a position to extend the Spain international's registration ahead of Tuesday's deadline.Olmo, 26, joined Barca in the summer and was granted a temporary registration until Dec. 31, giving Barca time to comply with the league's financial fair play rules and prolong his registration until t...
Newcastle's Trippier to be sold in JanuaryNewcastle United could sell Kieran Trippier with a January move abroad on the cards, three years after he first joined the club.Williams and Isak headline Arsenal shortlistNico Williams and Alexander Isak are both under consideration as Arsenal aim to sign a wide forward in January.Could Spurs cancel Werner's loan?Tottenham could cancel Timo Werner's loan ...
Team AnalysisBrentfordBrentford scored 12 goals in the last 5 home games with a great offense.Brentford ended 3 of the last 4 games with UNDER. The percentage of UNDER has rebounded.Brentford are seriously hit by injuries so far. Major goalkeeper Mark Flekken and defender Ben Mee are doubtful with injuries, while Sepp van den Berg and Ethan Pinnock are unavailable with injuries.Brentford drew 0-0 ...
Christopher Nkunku and Mikel Arteta (Photo by Alex Grimm, Julian Finney/Getty Images)Christopher Nkunku remains eager to leave Chelsea in the forthcoming January transfer window, sources have told CaughtOffside.The French attacker has been delegated a role in the club’s ‘B Team’ this campaign, leaving him frustrated. He has only featured in 326 minutes of Premier League action so...
Martin Zubimendi with the Spain national team.The 2024/25 campaign has not gone to plan for Man City and in order to salvage what they can of the season, the Premier League champions are looking to bring Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi to the Etihad. Pep Guardiola is currently facing a crisis that he has never experienced before in his managerial career as the Spaniard’s team sit fift...
