And that’s your lot. Paul Wilson was our man at Turf Moor. Here’s his take. Thanks for reading!
And we haven’t forgotten about Sean Dyche! “The relentless nature, the will and determination, has come back to us. We’re asking more questions of the opposition. The number of times we put their back four under pressure! They’re a top side, we’re not making any bold claims. But the best thing of all was our calmness when it went 1-1. The first goal, if it’s a corner or not, is a tough one to call, a ricochet. My gripe about theirs is, not only does it go out this side of the halfway line, it then gets thrown in eight yards the other side, and also the fourth official grabbed the ball and gave it back to them, so he plays it quickly. And that leads to a goal. That’s the gripe. That’s really frustrating. A massive moment, and that went against us. Other than that, I though the officials had a good game.”
A contrite Pochettinho in the press conference: “You know how important the game was. Of course when you feel so disappointed and upset you make mistakes ... I made a mistake and needed to go to the dressing room and get some water and relax ... what happened happened.”
Mauricio Pochettino, calm and frank, gives his verdict. “What happened on the pitch happened. We made a few mistakes. Burnley fight a lot and we don’t deserve the defeat, but that is football. It was an important game, we needed the three points to fight for the Premier League. It is not normally how I behave. It is difficult for us to be a contender now. There are a lot of games to play but in my mind we needed the three points to put pressure on. We cannot blame anyone other than ourselves, because we were unable to win. Everyone on the touchline complained, they complained, we complained, we try to back our players. We need to improve for the next time. I am going to accept everything from the FA, but I hope nothing will go further.”
But here’s something worth pointing out: Spurs didn’t fold this afternoon, they were just beaten by a fine side at the top of their game. Burnley were very determined, very tough ... and very, very good. They played an excellent match, and look a proper side again, after a rocky start to the campaign. Their goalscoring heroes Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood - both relentless - are interviewed by Sky, and they’re extremely pleased with a precious three points. Barnes admits to targeting Foyth “a little bit”, while Wood report that confidence at Turf Moor is high at the moment. “We have to make it difficult for these big teams,” says Barnes, “and we did that. We’ve shown how good we are.”
By all accounts, the row between Pochettino and Dean spilled down the tunnel. Shades of the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 2016! Something may or may not have been said after Pochettino complained to Dean at the final whistle, hence his willingness to return and engage in further debate. A repeated enquiry of “what did you say?” answered every time by “go away”. No doubt we’ll hear more of this, grapple fans. No doubt at all!
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Mauricio Pochettino loses his rag completely! He gets right up in Mike Dean’s grille, demanding explanation for something or other. The corner that led to the opening goal? If it’s just that, this reaction is well out of proportion, given Spurs got the benefit of a generous decision for their equaliser, too. So it’ll be interesting to hear what that was all about. Pochettino came back for seconds, too, invading the referee’s personal space in the chest-out, no-nonsense style. Many pints of steam are pouring out of his lugs! I wish I could read lips. Dean said “go away” quite a lot, that I do know. Chances are we haven’t heard the last of this. A magnificent pantomime rumble, highly entertaining, although depending on your stance on these things, the usual think-of-the-children caveat applies.
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FULL TIME: Burnley 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Burnley claim three precious points! They were marvellous today, and surely won’t be going down. Tottenham’s title bid meanwhile takes a serious hit.
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90 min +3: It really hasn’t been Tottenham’s day. A cross from the left. Lamela rises, six yards out. He surely has to score and salvage a point for the title hopefuls. But he sends a lame header straight at Heaton.
90 min +2: Wood takes the ball to the corner flag on the left. Tick, tock. By the dugouts, Pochettinho crosses his arms tightly and tucks his hands into his armpits. More frustration.
90 min: Kane crosses from the left. It’s half cleared and drops to Eriksen, who sends a tame shot over the crossbar. There will be four added minutes.
89 min: Now the hosts win a corner. Steam pours from Sissoko’s ears as he tussles with Brady, who is just pushing his buttons because he can. All the while, time continues to run out for Tottenham.
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88 min: Brady wins a throw out on the left, deep in Spurs territory. Before it can be taken, Lucas Moura comes on for Son, who has been uncharacteristically quiet today. Burnley then take the throw, and hold the ball up in the corner awhile, before winning another. Rinse and repeat. Spurs are getting visibly frustrated.
86 min: Llorente commits a common-or-garden foul on the edge of the Burnley box. free kick. Lamela doesn’t agree with the decision, and engages the referee in vigorous philosophical debate. He goes in the book.
85 min: Unless Spurs can magic up a dramatic turnaround, they’ll be five points behind leaders Manchester City and second-placed Liverpool, the latter still with tomorrow’s match at Manchester United in hand. This explains why Pochettino is slumped back in his seat, with a face on. He’s fuming.
GOAL! Burnley 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Barnes 83)
Brady overcooks a cross from the left. Goal kick. But then Aurier faffs about while dribbling upfield, allowing Gudmundsson to drive into the box from the left. He shoots ... he scuffs ... but the ball dribbles diagonally towards Barnes, at the far post. He’s six yards out, and can’t miss!
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82 min: A free kick for Burnley out on the right, Gudmundsson purchasing a cheap one off Rose. It’s launched long, and Aurier is forced to head out for a corner on the left. When it’s taken, Rose shanks a clearance backwards and out of play for a second corner. From which ...
80 min: Burnley make a double change, replacing Hendrick and McNeil on the flanks with Gudmundsson and Brady.
79 min: Rose dribbles down the left, and hooks into the mixer. Llorente fancies it, but Heaton wants it more. A fine claim under pressure.
77 min: Spurs pile forward, then are caught short at the back, Wood romping into acres on the right. His low cross is met by McNeil, coming in from the other flank. He shoots low and hard; Lloris parries well. Spurs hack out for a corner, which comes to nothing. This is set up perfectly now. The last few minutes of this match promise much in the way of weird and wonderful entertainment!
76 min: This is manic, end-to-end fare now. Aurier dribbles around near the byline to the right of the Burnley goal, and takes two attempts at a cross. Neither is any good. Spurs then make their second change, replacing Foyth with Lamela. They’re going for this now!
75 min: A cute turn down the inside-right channel by Hendrick, and Burnley are away. Barnes is teed up to the right of the D. His low shot is blocked out for a corner. From the set piece, hit long from the right, Tarkowski rises highest at the far post, and attempts to guide a header into the top right. There’s not enough juice on it, and Lloris claims the looping effort easily.
74 min: Aurier crosses from deep; it’s blocked by Taylor, and that’s a corner for Spurs. Eriksen works it to Aurier, who drives it into a crowded box from the right. Burnley somehow get it clear.
72 min: Re-read the entry for 69 min, replacing Foyth for Bardsley and Wood for Rose. It’s uncanny. Bardsley is now another player fortunate to escape with just a yellow, and Dean remains stuck on 99.
70 min: Hendrick blasts a witless free kick into the Spurs wall. But the hosts are soon coming back at Spurs, Wood flicking a pass right for Hendrick, who whips a shot across the face of goal and inches wide of the bottom left.
69 min: Foyth is booked for a late slide on Wood. That could have been Mike Dean’s 100th red, because the young Spurs defender was flying through the air, studs showing. But it’s just yellow, and Dean’s still on 99. The fact there wasn’t much contact, and Foyth looked to be pulling out of the challenge at the last, might have influenced that decision.
67 min: Now it’s Sean Dyche’s turn to lose the plot on the touchline, sure that Rose had nicked a few yards at the throw. Both teams might have got away with one.
GOAL! Burnley 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Kane 65)
Spurs are back in it! And a little controversy about this one, too, as Rose steals a couple of yards at a quick throw-in on the left, in order to set Kane scampering free! He’s got the beating of Mee, holding his man off as he enters the box. Kane draws Heaton and slips a cute finish across the keeper and into the bottom right! He’s back, baby. Oh he’s back.
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64 min: A corner for Spurs on the left. Rose is teed up, to the left of the D; his shot is blocked and deflects out for another corner. The second set piece is slammed upfield by Bardsley. Llorente’s first act of the afternoon is to slam into Mee, while contesting a high ball, and he’s immediately in the book.
62 min: Spurs have to throw the kitchen sink at this. Pochettino withdraws Winks and sends on Llorente.
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61 min: So the replay of the award of that corner will be shown more than once, I’ll be bound. Especially if Spurs can’t turn this around. Kind of a shame that it’ll eclipse another replay, shown just before the goal: a nice moment between Kane and Heaton, the striker congratulating the keeper on his save on 50 minutes, the keeper warmly slapping the striker on the back in awe of his fine shot. All in the heat of battle.
59 min: That’s Wood’s seventh goal in his last ten games. Will it scupper Tottenham’s title challenge? The visitors had been much the better side in the opening exchanges of the second half, but now look! On the touchline, Pochettino is beyond livid, claiming that the corner should never have been awarded. Hendrick had gone sliding in with Vertonghen, and he’s insistent the ball came off the Burnley man last. The officials didn’t agree.
GOAL! Burnley 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Wood 57)
Westwood whips the corner in from the right. Wood rises highest, six yards out, and plants a header flush in the top-left corner! The ball comes down off the bar and over the line, Lloris with no chance!
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56 min: Mee romps down the left and crosses into the Spurs area. McNeil tries to bring it down to shoot, but there’s not enough time for that. The ball breaks to Hendrick on the right, and he earns a corner. From which ...
54 min: Kane scampers after a long blootered clearance. Heaton bravely comes out of his area to head clear before the striker can start causing trouble.
53 min: Spurs keep probing. Foyth bursts down the right channel and is knocked over by Mee. A free kick, just to the right of centre, 25 yards out. Eriksen floats it diagonally towards Foyth, who heads harmlessly over from the middle of a thicket.
51 min: Spurs take the corner and ping it around awhile. Aurier tries to cross from the right, but the ball clanks into Taylor. He wants a penalty for handball, but he’s not getting it.
50 min: Space for Kane to wander into, down the inside-right channel. Nobody closes him down, though he’s got no options. No matter! From 30 yards, he sends a rising swerver towards the top left, a wondrous heatseeker! Heaton, at full stretch, tips spectacularly round the post. What a shot, and a save to match!
48 min: Son crosses from the left and the ball is slammed into the stand behind the Burnley goal by Tarkowski. No nonsense. The set piece is played short, Son eventually pulling one back to tee up Rose, who is steaming in. He shoots, but Cork is right up in his grille to block.
46 min: A positive start to the half from Spurs, as Rose turns Hendrick inside out, like an old sock. His twinkletoes make it to the byline, but his cutback isn’t so good and Burnley clear. A clear sign that Spurs want these three points! In the context of the title race, they really need them.
We’re off again! Spurs get the second half underway. No changes. “Never mind who Mike Dean shows his 100th red card to; what for is the question,” argues Ian Sargeant. “Is he waiting for something cast iron - a headbutt, a two-footed lunge or a clear professional foul perhaps? Or something utterly pedantic, like a second yellow for re-entering the field of play without permission?” Yes, you make a good point here. Ideally, the red card will be thoroughly pedantic, presented with a ludicrous theatrical flourish, and later proved to be preposterously incorrect. That would be nice, wouldn’t it. Good old Mike Dean.
Half-time entertainment. Some magical memories of matches between these two famous names of English football, courtesy of Burnley regular Iain Noble. Enjoy!
“There were some cracking matches between these two teams in the late 50s and early 60s, many of which I was lucky enough to see. The Clarets were desperately unlucky in the 61-62 season. I saw just about every home game they played (I was 12) and they were just irresistible for the first half of the season, wonderful football from probably their greatest-ever side.
“But there were a lot of cancellations because of a particularly hard winter and, along with their FA Cup run (several replays), the fixtures and injuries piled up and up. With the small squads of those days, they were gradually worn down and couldn’t seem to do anything else but draw. Even then they could have got back against Spurs in the FA Cup final but for a very debatable penalty late on.
“The next season for the third round of the Cup they were drawn away at Spurs. They won 3-0. But the match I remember best at Turf Moor - apart from my first in April ’61 which was their win 4-2 against Spurs after being 2-0 down at half time, a score that even the official Spurs history says was ‘very much against the run of play’ - was in April 1964. We stuffed Spurs 7-2. Oh my, Pointer and my McIlroy long ago!”
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HALF TIME: Burnley 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Title-chasing Spurs go in at the break slightly frustrated. They’ve been the better side, just, but haven’t seriously worked Heaton. Can they up it in the second half, and move to within two points of Manchester City and Liverpool? Stay with us to find out!
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43 min: Barnes comes off second best in a challenge with Eriksen and wins a free kick for his trouble, out on the right. Westwood sends it into the Spurs box, and there’s a brief game of head tennis, but nothing that seriously troubles the visitors. Lloris hasn’t had a great deal to do.
41 min: Spurs are beginning to hog the ball. Nothing’s quite coming off for them, though. Rose bustles his way down the left, and nearly breaks clear, but Hendrick is a study in determination and eventually forces the Spurs man to run the ball out of play.
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39 min: Spurs are beginning to ask questions, though. Now Rose skedaddles down the left and crosses deep for Aurier, who sends a weak header straight at Heaton. One the keeper can throw his cap on.
38 min: Spurs pass and probe, probe and pass. Aurier then lifts a cross in from the right, finding Kane on the penalty spot. It’d take some header from there, and he does his best, but the effort floats harmlessly into the arms of Heaton.
37 min: McNeil strips Aurier out on the left. For a second, it looks as though he’s going to tear clear, but doesn’t trust himself in a footrace with Foyth, and overhits a cross towards Wood on the other wing. The danger’s over.
36 min: Eriksen, quarterbacking from deep, loops a long pass down the inside-left channel. Kane is this close to getting on the end of it, but Heaton comes out to smother. Kane is beginning to warm up now, getting back up to speed nicely.
34 min: Son embarks on a rococo dribble down the right, and tiptoes along the tightrope of the byline. It’s a glorious dribble, lovely ball control while surrounded by claret shirts, and he eventually slides a pass across the face of goal, Heaton having been drawn towards him. But there’s nobody in white to take advantage. Bardsley half-clears, then Eriksen sends a poor shot wide left.
33 min: Chances at both ends! Eriksen sends a low shot towards the bottom left; there’s little power in it, and Heaton claims easily. Then Hendrick makes good down the right and crosses low for Barnes, who flashes a first-time shot across Lloris, looking for the top left, and over the bar.
31 min: Rose is now cast in the role of pantomime villain after that sit-down protest. So the crowd enjoy it very much when he runs the ball out of play for a goal kick when in a promising position on the left. “What do reckon the chances are of us witnessing the historic occasion of Mike Dean dishing out his 100th red card?” wonders J.R. in Illinois. “I always like Ashley Barnes’ chances of walking. He has, in the parlance of legendary former Chicago White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson’s parlance, a carmine derriere. My second choice would be Aurier. I don’t care for him.” For pure comedic value, it would surely have to be England’s Harry Kane. I accept Spurs fans might not concur.
30 min: Burnley enjoy a little period of possession. They don’t really go anywhere, but after that brouhaha in the box, it’s a chance to clear heads and rediscover their equilibrium.
28 min: While Rose sits and complains, Spurs win a corner down the right. The set piece leads to a bit of pinball in the Burnley area, instigated by Son, but eventually the hosts manage to hack clear. Rose gets up.
27 min: Rose is clattered by Hendrick and stays down for quite some time. But play goes on, much to the Spurs defender’s irritation.
25 min: Kane barges into Tarkowski as the England internationals contest a high ball. It’s a clear foul, but that doesn’t stop Kane feigning affront. The referee’s not having a bar of it. A little frustration betrayed there; Spurs still aren’t quite clicking, back after their break.
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23 min: Space for Barnes out on the left as he rolls Foyth with ease. He reaches the byline and fizzes a fine ball through the six-yard box, but Wood has dropped off in expectation of the cutback, instead of gambling on the front foot. Spurs get away with one there.
21 min: Aurier crosses for Son again from the right. Son attempts a spectacular bicycle kick, but the chain comes flying off, the gears slip, and he goes over the handlebars. A fresh-air swipe. Rose tries to retrieve the situation but bowls Hendrick to the ground, and the first serious period of Spurs pressure comes to an end.
20 min: Eriksen spreads a pass wide right for Aurier, who crosses towards Son. The striker can’t quite connect, and Burnley hack clear, but for a second it looked like a gilt-edged chance from ten yards.
18 min: Spurs have settled a little now. Foyth bursts between a couple of claret shirts and romps upfield. He leaves the ball to Eriksen, who has a little think, probing here and there. Nothing opens up for him, and the move eventually breaks down, but the visitors were struggling to hold onto the ball for a while, so this is a move in the right direction.
16 min: But finally they get something going, and nearly score! Son and Sissoko combine down the right. Sissoko slides a pass inside for Kane, who drops a shoulder and turn on the boosters. He makes for the box, heading diagonally to the left of the D, then pearls a low shot inches wide of the bottom left. He’s back.
15 min: Spurs are a little staccato at the moment. Moves of over two passes at a premium. Burnley are hounding them relentlessly.
13 min: Lloris is all over the place at the moment. A couple of panics under his crossbar already, and now he slices a simple clearance straight out of play. Another chance for Burnley to build something from a throw deep in Spurs territory; another chance that comes to nothing.
11 min: McNeil takes the ball off Aurier out on the Burnley left, pressing near the corner flag. He loops a cross to the far post, where Hendrick awaits. Lloris, dazzled by the sun, struggles to tip the ball away from under his own bar. But he just about manages it, and the whistle goes for a foul anyway.
10 min: Foyth battles Barnes down the left. He gets his shirt ripped, but the free kick goes to Burnley. Westwood hoicks the set piece into the box; Aurier clears for a corner ... ah no, it’s a throw, even though Burnley get set for the kick. Nothing comes of the throw, Spurs shepherding the hosts away from their danger zone.
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8 min: Cork bowls Kane over in the midfield. A garden variety foul, but hearts would have been in mouths on the Spurs bench as Kane took a few seconds to get up. He’s fine, though.
7 min: A lovely low whipped cross into the Burnley box from the left by Rose. Kane is still getting used to football again, not quite up to speed, and is on his heels as Heaton gathers.
6 min: It’s a little scrappy. The ball bobbles around in front of the Spurs box. Westwood has a speculative whack, but his shot is blocked the second it leaves his boot and dribbles through to Lloris.
4 min: A couple of heavy challenges, Hendrick on Rose and Aurier on Taylor. All hard but fair enough, fouls but no need for cards. A sign that this match will be keenly contested, like we needed confirmation.
2 min: But Burnley are made of strong stuff, and they shake off the rust quicksmart. Wood works his way down the left and earns the first corner of the match. Westwood nearly scores direct from it! His inswinger forces Lloris to tip over the bar. But there’s been some pushing and shoving and it’s a free kick instead of another corner. A lively start.
And we’re off! The hosts get proceedings underway. Westwood knocks the kick-off back to Tarkowski, who takes a heavy touch and is nearly stripped of possession by Son! He gets away with it, just. But that’s a nervous start by Burnley, and an early statement of intent by Spurs.
The teams are out! Burnley wear their famous claret shirts, while Spurs are also dressed in their storied first-choice garb. A good old-school atmosphere at a fine old-school ground. We’ll be off in two ticks!
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Mauricio Pochettino also has a quick chat. “After two training sessions I had no doubt, Kane is fully fit to play. He is one of the best strikers in the world, and he has a massive impact. But we do not put all the pressure on his shoulders.”
Sean Dyche talks to Sky. “Harry Kane is a top striker, I’ve spoken openly about that for a few years now. But I think behind that, there’s a very good side. So it’s not a one-man team. They are very good with or without him. But we’ve come across many good sides in the Premier League and we know it’s a big challenge, and that we have to focus on ourselves. What happened in the early stages of the season has been parked, and there’s a freshness and a clarity in the group going into the second half of the season.”
It’s a lovely day in Lancashire. Yellow beams streaming into Turf Moor and all across this famous old mill town. And oh dear! This chap appears to have caught the sun. It serves as a warning to us all. Remember your Ambre Solaire, kids, those UV rays can be a bugger.
Burnley name the same side that dispatched Brighton with ease a fortnight ago. Peter Crouch still kicking his heels on the bench, there, but what can you do when Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes played so well in that 3-1 win at the Amex?
The big news for Spurs, meanwhile, is: he’s back! Harry Kane returns after his injury lay-off. He’s one of two changes to the XI that steamrollered Borussia Dortmund in the second half of a sensational Champions League performance at Wembley the other week. He replaces Lucas Moura, while Danny Rose comes in for Davison Sanchez.
The teams
Burnley: Heaton, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Hendrick, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Barnes, Wood.
Subs: Lowton, Gudmundsson, Brady, Gibson, Crouch, Hart, Vydra.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Foyth, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Aurier, Sissoko, Winks, Rose, Eriksen, Kane, Son.
Subs: Lamela, Wanyama, Walker-Peters, Llorente, Gazzaniga, Lucas Moura, Davies.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
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Preamble
“This is like a final for us.” Mauricio Pochettino there, hoping his Tottenham Hotspur side claim all three points at Burnley this lunchtime, in the hope of piling pressure on Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table.
He’ll be hoping this pans out like one final in particular. The 1962 FA Cup final, to be precise. Tottenham beat Burnley in that one 3-1, Jimmy Greaves scoring early, Bobby Smith and Danny Blanchflower sealing the deal after Jimmy Robson had equalised in the second half for the Clarets. Burnley could have won the Double that season, but capitulated during the title run-in to gift the league to Alf Ramsey’s Ipswich Town. Different times. But we digress.
Harry Kane may be back from injury to assist the title push. But this isn’t just about Spurs. Burnley aren’t safe from relegation quite yet, and are desirous of three precious points themselves. They’re undefeated in seven in the league, while Spurs have lost two of their last three away from home. It’s a tough assignment for the title hopefuls, but they’ll take succour from the fact they’ve won on their last two visits to Turf Moor. This is poised deliciously. It’s on!
Kick off: 12.30pm BST.
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