Premier League: Burnley relegated
Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 1 Burnley
Burnley's defeat in North London means they are heading back to where they came from 12 months ago.
Having taken a surprise lead in the first half through Jacob Bruun Larsen’s well-taken strike, a Tottenham fightback thanks to goals from Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven ended Burnley’s brave resistance and confirmed relegation.
A closer look at the match
The first chance fell early for Spurs when Son played James Maddison through to the edge of the box. His shot was blocked by Charlie Taylor.
Burnley were quick to head to the other end of the pitch. Wilson Odobert’s cross was met with a strong header by Vitinho but was brilliantly saved by Vicario and set the tone for some end-to-end action.
Brennan Johnson was next up, forcing Aro Muric into another great stop at his near post.
After a chaotic start to the match, things started to settle down a little with both teams sharing possession, until the 25th minute, Burnley burst into life again. Jacob Bruun Larsen grabbed the opener of the game and made some Burnley fans believe that the greatest of escapes might still be on.
The team’s leading goalscorer added his 7th of the season, drilling the ball under the despairing dive of Vicario.
Burnley's lead lasted only seven minutes.
Pedro Porro dribbled the ball into Burnley’s half, then drove forward and smashed the ball past Muric from around twelve yards out.
The equalizer boosted the home side. Just moments later, Brennan Johnson missed a good chance after a misplaced pass from Muric, with the striker's effort hitting the side netting.
With just under twenty minutes of normal time remaining, Manuel Benson came on for Vitinho. Moments later, Spurs made changes of their own. Bissouma, Kulusevski and Skipp made way for Bentacur, Scarlett and Dragusin.
Spurs fans then tried to lift the fans again.
They were the first to try and take advantage as the pace picked up. Son sprinted down the left, his cross was only a few millimetres away from Johnson turning it home.
Muric's penalty area then turned into something more akin to a pinball machine. Bodies were being thrown into everything Spurs were throwing before succumbing to a sucker punch.
Micky van de Ven's shot, just outside the area, beating Muric and finding the bottom corner of the goal with just eight minutes left on the clock.
Despite further efforts, it was a bridge too far for the away side. At the end of the game, with the travelling Burnley fans continuing to sing their hearts out, Jarred Gillett's full-time whistle confirmed Burnley's relegation to the second tier of English football.
Click here to find more news and stories from this relegation battle.
The match was played against the backdrop of Spurs protests
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— Save Our Seniors (@SaveOurSenior66) May 9, 2024
📣TURN YOUR BACKS ON 65📣
📆 Spurs v Burnley
⏱️Turn round for a minute on 65 mins. Tell the club to keep senior concessions!#SaveOurSeniors #TurnRound65 #Protest65 #COYS
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👊If you can help leaflet before the game, meet 12.45 Sat at Corner Pin pic.twitter.com/g6veP9LFI2
The Save Our Seniors will be continuing protest against Manchester City. Save Our Seniors on X: "‼️JOINT STATEMENT‼️
The win keeps their Champions League hopes alive
Aston Villa's dropped points against Liverpool means a Spurs win against Manchester City would give them hope that they can still qualify for next season's Champions League. It's a big ask though. Europa League qualification is now guaranteed. That alone marks some form of progress for the club.
