5 things we learned from Southampton v Burnley

On Sunday afternoon we were treated to a real ‘Super, Sunday, after Watford managed a 1-0 at Middlesbrough, attention turned to the South Coast for another huge clash, as Southampton hosted Sean Dyche’s Burnley.

Not exactly the best fixtures you could hope for but at least it wasn’t that international dross – eh?

Claude Puel’s side started as they meant to go on at St. Mary’s, dominating the early stages, which would have resulted in a 1-0 lead if it weren’t for Tom Heaton, who came up with the save of the season to deny Charlie Austin a goal against his old club.

As the first half bore on the script was much the same. Aside from a credible penalty shout from the Clarets, the hosts dominated only to be denied time and again by the gloves of Heaton.

Into the second half and it took a scrappy goal from all of around six inches to give Saints the lead and Charlie Austin his sixth goal in as many games.

It didn’t take too much longer for Puel’s side to fully assert their dominance when Nathan Redmond fired home a smart volley from Steven Davis’ corner, reminiscent of his first for the club against Watford in the season’s opener.

It then fell to Austin once again to put the game beyond his former club as Burnley’s Gudmundsson was adjudged to have fouled Saints debutant Sam McQueen in the box and the former QPR man slotted home calmly from 12 yards.

Dyche’s side were handed a glimpse of hope when, thanks to another controversial decision from referee Mike Dean, the Clarets were handed a penalty after Tadic was penalised for fouling Ben Mee from a corner. Sam Vokes, a childhood Southampton fan, stepped up and got one back for the visitors, however it would just be a consolation.

So, what can we take from the second instalment of that Alarmingly Average Sunday? Here are FIVE things we learned from Southampton v Burnley…