Southampton 2 - 2 Burnley: Clinical Cornet clinches point for Clarets

Maxwel Cornet netted twice as his Burnley side drew 2-2 against Southampton at the St. Mary’s Stadium. The result leaves the ‘Clarets’ in the relegation zone and without a win in the Premier League (PL) this season. 

After an uneventful opening, the match came to life when Cornet gave Burnley the lead after 13 minutes, bagging his second PL goal of the season. Clever play from Dwight McNeil allowed Matt Lowton to whip in a perfect cross, which Cornet nodded in off the back post. 

The ‘Saints’ responded well to falling behind, and piled on the pressure with Nathan Redmond failing to convert into an open goal and Valentino Livramento saw a left-foot curling effort hit the post. Southampton’s pressure paid off late in the first half when Livramento did well to get in between the Burnley defence, and headed in Redmond’s corner.

Burnley started the second-half changing their shape to try and get a foothold of the game, but It didn’t immediately pay off when ‘Clarets’ defender James Tarkowski made a costly error. He gave the ball away allowing Armando Broja to run into the box and slot the ball past Nick Pope to give Southampton the lead in the 50th minute. Southampton’s lead only lasted 7 minutes though, as Cornet then stunned the fans inside St Mary’s Stadium, firing in an equalizer from the edge of the box following great play from Chris Wood and Ashley Westwood.

The game hit a lull mid-way through the second-half as both teams tried to figure out a winner. The ‘Saints’ upped the tempo in the final 10 minutes, and came closest to clinching the three points when Ibrahima Diallo hit an effort from outside of the box that was easily collected by Pope, as both sides looked happy with a point each.

A draw means that Burnley's struggles continue and are still without a win in the PL, and for Southampton, it means it is just one win in five at home this season.