Burnley 0-0 West Brom: Ten-man Albion secure point at Burnley

Mike Dean has received four red cards in his last three games as a referee.

For the first time, ten-man West Brom had no problems under new manager Sam Allardyce, but a 0-0 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor did not help the club in their fight against relegation.

The Baggies missed a host of chances in the second half and had their best overall performance since Allardyce took over the Premier League 11 years ago, missing out on the honours.

Matheus Pereira was the main culprit. The Brazilian narrowly missed his shot in the middle of the six-metre line, allowing Nick Pope to finish after being played in by Mbaye Diani.

In the ensuing hullabaloo, Pereira failed to convert a cross from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and James Tarkowski eventually made the save.

Pereira also failed to score on the first goal with a low shot that landed in the bottom corner until Pope made a save.

Diagne wasn’t blameless either, clearing a bar from six yards after coming on for Tarkowski.

Darnell Furlong and Maitland-Niles also created danger in front of Burnley’s goal, but that only added to the frustration of a West Brom squad playing in the final hour after Semi Ajayi was sent off the field for deliberate handsball.

Sean Dyche’s Burnleys were not inspired in the future. The hosts conceded just one penalty and West Brom held on to their first win in 15 games.

However, second-placed West Brom continue to struggle and are 11 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle, while a point brings Burnley, uninspired, a little closer to safety, although they remain 15th.

Referee Dean is back on the scene

Referee Mike Dean took no responsibility for last weekend’s Premier League match to bring it out of the shadows after his recent decisions to send Ian Bednarek (Southampton) and Thomas Soucek (West Ham) off the pitch – both after interventions from VAR – were overturned.

The officer must have had a sinking feeling when Michael Oliver told him to reconsider Ajay’s offense.

In fact, it was an easy decision as Dean showed his 111th red card in the Premier League. The 52-year-old referee showed 44 more than any other referee in league history.

As he explained to Furlong and Maitland-Niles on the way to the dressing rooms at half-time, once it was established that Ajay’s hand had moved towards the ball, there should have been a red card, although Matej Vydra had to run wide to score.

However, it was surprising that Dean was not called into action early in the second half, when Albion captain Kyle Bartley headed a Conor Townsend header into his own penalty area with his arm outstretched.

West Brom Sam Allardyce has not won in his last seven games.

Pockets afraid to let go

West Brom’s problems persisted during the Allardyce reign and defence was a major problem.

A cross from Burnley defender Matt Lawton, who played unchallenged against Jay Rodriguez between Ajay and Bartley, did not suggest that work would shift from matchday to the training ground.

But it appeared Burnley, Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood, who were missing, were largely lifeless. Josh Brownhill tried to score a couple of times, but Rodriguez’s shot was the best.

But Burnley didn’t need to win. Their job now is to keep others – including West Brom – at bay.

And just like against Manchester United last week, Allardyce will be surprised that his side didn’t grab the maximum points.

The way Pereira ultimately managed not to hit the net is beyond comprehension. The only plausible explanation, other than the coil, was immediate panic, knowing the immense possibilities.

Allardyce can take solace in the fact that his side are more who he wants them to be, going just two games without defeat this season. But West Brom need points – and they didn’t score enough in the second game.

Send number 111 to Dean – Statistics

• The last time West Brom saw the game unbeaten was in November, when they won 1-0 at home to Sheffield United.
• Burnley won just one of their eight Premier League games with West Brom (D4 L3), 2-1 at the Hawthorns in March 2018.
• The last two times West Brom were shown a red card in a Premier League match and managed to avoid defeat was against Burnley (also 1-0 in August 2017).
• Since the start of last season, Burnley have drawn goal-less 24 times in the Premier League, only Man City (31) have scored more in that period.
• Mike Dean received the 111th red card of his Premier League career – Phil Dowd is next on the list with 67.
• West Brom defender Semi Ajayi was shown a red card for his 186th appearance for the club for the first time in his English Premier League career. Mission (including playoffs).

What’s the next step?

Burnley’s next game is on Sunday the 28th. February (14:00 GMT), at Tottenham Hotspur. West Brom play on Saturday the 27th. In February (15:00 GMT), they play another game against last-ditch Brighton at the Hawthorns.

The player of the game

Pope

Burnley

1. Team number1Pop player name
2. Squadron number 5Players nameTarkovsky
3. Team number6 Player nameMi
4. Team number 2 Player nameLowton
5. Team number3Player nameTaylor
6. Team number 8 Player nameBrownhill
7. Team number 4Players nameKork
8. Team number27Players nameVidra
9. Team number 11Player name McNeil
10. Team number18PseudoWestwood
11. Team number19Player nameRodriguez
12. Team number46PseudoMumbongo

West Bromwich Albion

1. Team number30PseudoMaitland-Niles
2. Team Number 1 Player Name Johnstone
3. Team number18 Name of playerGallagher
4. Team number35Yokuslu Player name
5. Team number 5Player nameBartley
6. Team number12Players nameMateus Pereira
7. Team number2Player nameExtended
8. Team number 17Player name Diagne
9. Team number14 Player nameTownsend
10. Team number 27 Fighter’s name O’Shea
11. Team number10Fillips Player name
12. Team number6Player nameAjayi

Lines

Burnley

4-4-2 training

1Dad

2Lowton5Tarkowski6Mee3Taylor

8Brownhill4Cork18Westwood11McNeil

19Rodriguez27Vidra

• 1Dad
• 2LowtonBooked for 90Minutes
• 5Tarkovsky
• 6MeeBooked on 90Minutes
• 3Taylor
• 8Brownhill
• 4CorkReserved for 76Minutes
• 18 Westwood
• 11McNeil
• 19RodriguezReplaced by Mumbongot 81 minutes
• 27Vidra

replaces

• 15Pacock-Farrell.
• 25 norris
• 26 Bardsley.
• 28Long
• 31Narthey
• 34Dunna
• 41Benson
• 45Driscoll-Glennon
• 46Mambongo

West Brom

Training 4-1-4-1

1Johnstone

2Furlong6Ajayi5Bartley14Townsend

35 Yokuslu

12Costa Pereira18Gallagher30Maitland-Niles10Phillips

17Diagnosis

• 1Johnstone
• 2Furlong.
• 6AjayiBay per 30 minutes
• 5Bartley
• 14Townsend
• 35 Yokuslu
• 12 Costa Pereira
• 18Gallagher
• 30Maitland-Niles
• 10PhillipsReplaced by O’Sheath after 32 minutes.
• 17Diagnosis

replaces

• 4Canoe Robson
• 7Robinson.
• 8Livermore
• 11Dyangana
• 19Sawing machines
• 22Peltier
• 25Key
• 27O’Shea
• 29Subsidy

Real-time text

1. Game over, Burnley 0, West Bromwich Albion 0.
2. The second half is over, Burnley 0, West Bromwich Albion 0.
3. Matthew Lawton (Burnley) is booked for a foul.
4. Matthew Lawton (Burnley) is penalised after committing a foul.
5. Ainslie Maitland-Niles (West Bromwich Albion) swings a free kick in on the opponent’s half.
6. Ben Mee (Burnley) gets a warning from the referee.
7. Ben Mee (Burnley) is penalised after committing a foul.
8. Mbaye Diagne (West Bromwich Albion) is awarded a free kick in the opponent’s half.
9. Offside, Burnley. Ashley Westwood plays a forward pass but Matej Vydra is caught offside by the referee.
10. Corner, Burnley. Designed by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
11. Offside, Burnley. Ashley Westwood plays a forward pass but Matej Vydra is caught offside by the referee.
12. Corner, Burnley. Designed by Darnell Furlong.
13. Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Mbaye Diana plays a forward pass but Matheus Pereira is caught offside by the referee.
14. Substitution : Burnley. Joel Mambongo replaces Jay Rodriguez.
15. Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Conor Gallagher plays a forward pass but Mbaye Diagne is offside.
16. Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Signed by Nick Pope.
17. Attempt blocked. Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion)’s left footed shot from inside the box is blocked. Sponsored by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
18. Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Ainsley Maitland-Niles plays a forward pass but Matheus Pereira is caught offside by the referee.
19. Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Presented by Matthew Lawton.
20. Jack Cork (Burnley) is shown a yellow card for a bad foul.