Former Burnley forward Charlie Austin netted twice against his former club as Claude Puel’s Southampton comfortably beat Sean Dyche’s men 3-1 at St Mary’s.
The visitors had goalkeeper Tom Heaton to thank for going in level at half-time following a string of excellent saves, one of which denying Austin from six yards out worthy of particular praise.
However, 27-year-old Austin wasn’t to be denied seven minutes into the second half, as he bundled the ball over the line following Virgil van Dijk’s knock-down.
The excellent Nathan Redmond doubled Saints’ lead eight minutes later with a crisp volley, and Austin added a third from the penalty spot soon after following Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s foul on full-back Sam McQueen.
Sam Vokes netted a consolation for Burnley with 18 minutes to go, another one from the spot, as manager Dyche was left to rue some poor refereeing decisions from Mike Dean.
Dean failed to see what looked like a blatant Burnley penalty with the scores at nil-nil when van Dijk clumsily took down Gudmundsson, and the other two penalties actually given during the contest were very questionable.
Unsurprisingly, Dean, who has been at the centre of controversy before, was the talk on Twitter after the game, with many fans bemoaning another woeful display, and asking whether he should remain a Premier League referee…
Another poor decision, Van Dijk escapes a red card. Mike Dean continues to blunder his way through games – terrible ref. #SOUBUR #EPL
— Bill McLoughlin (@BMcLoughlin93) October 16, 2016
How am earth has mike Dean not give that pen😂😂😂 wow
— Liam (@LiamRichmond_) October 16, 2016
Mike Dean should not referee another premier league game this year.
— Eski billy (@Eski_billy) October 16, 2016
How Mike Dean is still a top flight referee I'll never know
— JP (@J_Percie) October 16, 2016
Many have also questioned his style of refereeing, as he seems to want the centre of attention whenever he’s out in the middle…
https://twitter.com/DeadCereal/status/787742940009562112
Mike Dean takes his refereeing so serious, it's actually hilarious 😂
— Josh (@JoshSwitalski) October 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/jammin_1206/status/787751712585093120
Really didn't like those penalties at @SouthamptonFC today. Prefer the jostling and holding of old compared to that. Mike Dean loves a pen.
— John Hunt (@HuntyCaller) October 16, 2016
… while some felt that Dean’s performance was no different to any of his that have gone before…
When Mike Dean is trending & you don't even have to ask why 😏😂😂😂
— Estella Joyce 🌟 (@LelJoyce) October 16, 2016
Easy to criticise referees but Mike Dean seems to consistently let the PL down. Simply not good enough today. #supersunday
— poc (@peteoconn) October 16, 2016