Burnley suffered a nightmare afternoon, finding themselves five points adrift of Premier League safety after enduring a 4-1 thrashing by Newcastle, compounded by Nottingham Forest’s concurrent victory, further plunging them toward relegation.
Entering Saturday’s match at Turf Moor with a glimmer of hope to escape the relegation zone, Burnley’s aspirations dimmed significantly after Nottingham Forest secured a 3-1 win against already-relegated Sheffield United.
Despite a promising start for Burnley, spearheaded by Lorenz Assignon’s threat, the match turned sour once Callum Wilson capitalized on Alexander Isak’s shot rebound. Subsequent quick goals from Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes before halftime sealed Burnley’s fate, leaving them out of contention.
Even with Alexander Isak’s missed penalty early in the second half, the striker swiftly made amends by scoring from close range, notching his 20th league goal of the season and solidifying Newcastle’s sixth position in the league standings, at least until Manchester United’s match against Crystal Palace on Monday night.
Although Dara O’Shea salvaged a late consolation goal for Burnley from a corner, the defeat underscores the imperative for Burnley to secure maximum points in their remaining fixtures against Tottenham and Nottingham Forest to stave off relegation.
Notably, even a draw for Nottingham Forest against Chelsea next week, broadcast live on Sky Sports, would likely seal Burnley’s fate due to the substantial disparity in goal difference.
Despite the dire circumstances, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany remains resolute, expressing determination during a post-match interview with Sky Sports, stating, “If it weren’t for Nottingham Forest having to visit us on the final day, I’d say our chances were slim.”
“But because they do, although we can’t control what they do next weekend, that’s one game. If we win that, they lose theirs, then special things can happen. That’s enough for me.”
