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Southampton have had to do a spot of waiting around for airborne vehicles to clear the way in recent weeks — and patience was required once more as they met another flying nuisance in Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
They had an astonishing 34 shots — the most in a Premier League match this season — Heaton saved 11 of those — the most stops of any goalkeeper in a league match so far — and the three which beat him, Charlie Austin’s double and Nathan Redmond’s fine strike, could easily have been doubled.
‘I would prefer to have less chances, but more goals,’ manager Claude Puel joked afterwards, able to relax after a fifth win in seven unbeaten games. ‘We can see in all the games this season every time we have more chances than the opponent and now it’s important to find good efficiency.’
A few weeks ago, Southampton were grounded for five hours when they tried to fly back from Israel the morning after their Europa League draw with Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
The world’s dignitaries had descended on Israel’s national cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem for former president Shimon Peres’s funeral and their private jets were queuing to leave the country.
Not much gets priority over Premier League clubs, but Southampton had to wait in the departures lounge as Barack Obama boarded Air Force One and Prince Charles and several others left in their luxury aircraft.
Little else has held them back in the past month, but Heaton did his best. Five minutes into the game he was diving to his left, reaching Austin’s header with fingertips to turn the ball fractionally around the right post.
Austin lay on his back, head in hands. Burnley manager Sean Dyche was asked if he had ever seen a better save? ‘Gordon Banks,’ he replied. ‘Joe Hart the other night. I don’t want to do Tom down, but I don’t want him to get too big headed.’
Heaton saved well again on 31 minutes, when Fraser Forster’s clearance caught out Burnley’s back line and played Dusan Tadic through one-on-one, but his close-range poke was kept out by the goalkeeper’s chest.
Shortly before the break, Redmond turned one way and then the next inside the penalty area, to the left of goal, and powered an effort at the near post, but Heaton was in the way once more.
When Heaton kept Redmond out again at the near post of the opposite side of goal in first-half stoppage time, after more skilful work from the winger, he was beginning to appear unbeatable. Even though the ball flew across goal from his save, Austin was unable to steer the rebound.
Dyche was less jovial on referee Mike Dean’s decision not to award a penalty when Johann Gudmundsson was tripped by Virgil Van Dijk with the score goalless.
‘The defining point is our penalty — it’s impossible it’s not a penalty,’ he said. ‘We struggled two years ago to get decisions. We’re struggling so far this season. I must make it clear it doesn’t take away from them being too good for us, but that doesn’t half make a difference. If we were 1-0 up the whole feeling changes.’
And when Heaton was finally beaten, nine minutes into the second half, the goals flowed. Tadic swung in the corner, Van Dijk headed it back across goal, Austin’s first effort was blocked on the line by Sam Vokes, but he forced the second over it.
Redmond drove a first-time half-volley into the bottom right corner when Steven Davis’s corner bounced over everyone just after the hour and five minutes later substitute Sam McQueen was felled by Gudmundsson inside the box and Austin converted the penalty for his seventh goal in six games.
‘I’ve seen their penalty. Wow. I don’t know where it lives anymore, penalties like that in this game,’ Dyche complained on. ‘I’m stunned. Our penalty is a soft one, theirs is incredibly soft. It’s beyond me how they’re given nowadays. Simulation? Possibly.’
Southampton were on course for their seventh consecutive clean sheet, until Tadic nudged Ben Mee over during a Burnley corner and Vokes sent that softly-earned spot kick down the middle.
Still Southampton’s chances came and still Heaton was unperturbed by the treble he had conceded so far. James Ward-Prowse came on late and immediately bent a low effort towards the right corner. Heaton was at full stretch to push wide.
Moments later, McQueen curled in a cross from the left and Jay Rodriguez, another substitute, met it first-time, but Heaton’s hand was in the way.
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