Mike Dean sents off Semi Ajayi (©Reuters)
Mike Dean sents off Semi Ajayi (©Reuters)

Big Sam's ten men fought bravely but left to rue awful finishing

Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 20.02.21. | 16:38

A goalless draw (0-0) in a match between Burnley and WBA, and it's fair to say it was undeservedly

You can not call it beautiful nor creative, but Burnley and WBA - outfits led by authentic homegrown managers such as Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce - displayed a proper game of an old-fashioned English football. Albeit the goalless draw at Burnley's Turf Moor (0-0), we saw a true die-hard physical game that reminded us of the early days of Premier League back in the '90s. The bells of relegation already surrounding WBA forced them to risk more than their rivals, they fought bravely but couldn't clinch a vital win. And it led to serious of mistakes and opportunities for vicious counter-attacks for a home team.

After one of those, half an hour into the game, WBA's centre-back Semi Ajayi hit the ball with his hand as the last man denying the opposition a clear goalscoring chance. Albeit referee Mike Dean didn't notice the incident, his VAR assistant warned him of a possible red-card situation. Dean checked the replay and rapidly decided to send Ajayi off. Confronted with a difficult setup for the rest of the encounter, Allardyce had to make some instant changes that affected WBA's offensive line.

However, a lack of creativity prevented Dyche's team from converting that supremacy on the ground into a lead. Moreover, it seemed like they were the ones with 10 men, with WBA creating lots of lovely chances in the second half. Firstly it was Senegalese striker Mbaye Diagne who did all the work, dribbled past two opposing players, but his close-range shot shockingly hit the bar and went into the stands. It was just a prelude for an astonishing play of Maitland-Niles, but an awful finishing of Pereira saved the home-team.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 25

Friday

Wolverhampton - Leeds 1-0 (0-0)

/Meslier 64' og/

Saturday

Southampton - Chelsea 1-1 (1-0)

/Minamino 33'- Mount 54' pen/

Burnley - WBA 0-0


20:30 (1.55) Liverpool (4.10) Everton (6.00)

23:00 (2.25) Fulham (3.05) Sheffield United (3.60)

Sunday

15:00 (2.80) West Ham (2.95) Tottenham (2.80)

17:00 (2.75) Aston Villa (3.30) Leicester City (2.55)

19:30 (5.80) Arsenal (3.90) Manchester City (1.60)

22:00 (1.33) Manchester United (5.20) Newcastle United (9.00)

Monday

21:00 (1.85) Brighton & Hove Albion (3.40) Crystal Palace (4.60)



tags

English Premier LeagueWest Bromwich AlbionBurnleySam AllardyceSean Dyche

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