Match ends, Bournemouth 0, Burnley 1.
BournemouthAFC Bournemouth0BurnleyBurnley1
Burnley's Jay Rodriguez scored an 89th-minute winner to beat Bournemouth in a dire match at Vitality Stadium.
There had not been a single shot on target from either side until substitute Rodriguez headed in from close range following Ashley Westwood's cross.
Jefferson Lerma's 30-yard effort for the hosts went well over the top and Chris Mepham's second-half header went wide.
A physical Burnley side had offered little as an attacking threat in a disrupted match littered with fouls and strong challenges before Rodriguez's winner.
Six players were booked - two from Bournemouth and four from the Clarets.
Defenders impress as Burnley gain rare away win
The three points for Burnley takes them up to 10th in the Premier League table and comes after Sean Dyche's side frustrated the hosts, who failed to register a single shot on target.
For a second successive game, goalkeeper Nick Pope did not have a save to make, after Burnley shut out Newcastle in a 1-0 victory a week ago.
But, in a match played in filthy wet and windy conditions on the south coast, the Clarets' central defensive partnership of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski were excellent - both making seven clearances.
Burnley won 3-1 at the Vitality Stadium last season on 6 April but had only gained one away Premier League victory since then before this latest success.
It was not pretty, but no-one from Burnley will care about that as they picked up another three valuable points, their second win in a row having lost the previous three games.
Bournemouth injury problems provide test for Howe
This match featured the two longest-serving Premier League managers. When Eddie Howe left Burnley to return to Bournemouth for a second spell as manager in October 2012, it created the vacancy for Sean Dyche, who has been Clarets boss ever since.
But while Dyche will see his side in the top half at Christmas, these are worrying times for Howe, whose team are 14th but only four points above the relegation zone.
Bournemouth have not been helped by a lengthy injury list that includes Nathan Ake, Adam Smith, Steve Cook, top scorer Harry Wilson, Charlie Daniels and David Brooks, although England striker Callum Wilson, who missed the 1-0 win over Chelsea with a hamstring injury, returned to action when he came on as a half-time substitute.
The hosts' injury problems looked to have continued early on when captain Simon Francis was caught by a boot to the head by Burnley's Ashley Barnes.
However, after a lengthy stoppage, Francis was able to carry on and saw out the rest of the match sporting a large bandage on his head.
Ryan Fraser was also on the receiving end of a number of strong challenges, including a header from Tarkowski that left Fraser with a bloodied nose after he landed heavily on the turf.
This loss means Bournemouth have now only won twice in 13 matches in all competitions, although those wins came against Manchester United and Chelsea.
Man of the match - James Tarkowski (Burnley)
'Hugely disappointed' - what they said
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said: "It was not a great game, the conditions played a part in that.
"Burnley did what they do, we expected the game that it was but we need to do better. It was a much better second half and we were the better team but could not break down a physical defence.
"It is how they play, it is up to the referee to control the game. We paid the price for not marking from a ball into the box.
"We feel hugely disappointed to lose the game. The first half was very scrappy, to lose the game is a devastating blow. It was not one for the purists, a lot of free-kicks given away and you know every free-kick will come into your box.
"There were a lot of challenges in the game that need reviewing."
Burnley manager Sean Dyche said: "It was super poor conditions, a poor game but we stuck to the task. It is hard to find ways of winning and we managed to do that.
"The pleasing thing is, in the second half they were better than us, but we stayed resolute to the task.
"[Nick] Pope has had minimal to do regarding saves and we found a moment. There was not a lot of goalmouth action, not a great game but we get three points. We hope and want to play better but we get the three points.
"What a header from J-Rod. We know we have to play better away. At this stage of last season we were on 12 points, it was really ugly, but we managed to find a way."
Longest wait for a shot on target in more than 10 years - the stats
- Burnley have registered two wins in their last three away Premier League games, as many as they managed in their 14 before that (drew six, lost six).
- Bournemouth have lost three consecutive home league games for the first time since April 2016.
- Burnley have won five of their seven Premier League meetings with Bournemouth (lost two), including each of the last three fixtures.
- The total of five shots produced in the game is the lowest tally of attempts in a Premier League game since 2003-04 (when this data was first recorded).
- The first and only shot on target of the game came in the 89th minutes, the longest wait for a shot on target in a Premier League game since May 2009 (90 minutes, Bolton v Sunderland).
- Burnley's Jay Rodriguez has scored four goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League, more than he has managed against any other side in the competition.
- Burnley's Ashley Westwood has registered two assists in his last two Premier League games, as many as he managed in his previous 18.
What's next?
Both teams are next in action on 26 December in the first of three Premier League games each inside a week. Bournemouth entertain Arsenal in Mikel Arteta's first match in charge of the Gunners before the Cherries are away at Brighton two days later and travel to West Ham on New Year's Day.
On Thursday, Burnley are away at Everton, who will be managed by Carlo Ancelotti for the first time. The Clarets then have two home fixtures - against Manchester United on 28 December and Aston Villa on 1 January.
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-5-1
- 12Ramsdale
- 17Stacey
- 2FrancisBooked at 61mins
- 33Mepham
- 21RicoBooked at 56mins
- 16L CookSubstituted forWilsonat 45'minutes
- 29BillingSubstituted forSolankeat 86'minutes
- 8Lerma
- 4Gosling
- 24Fraser
- 7King
Substitutes
- 1Boruc
- 6Surman
- 9Solanke
- 13Wilson
- 19Stanislas
- 25Simpson
- 53Kilkenny
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Pope
- 26Bardsley
- 5Tarkowski
- 6Mee
- 3Taylor
- 13HendrickBooked at 62minsSubstituted forLennonat 65'minutes
- 18WestwoodBooked at 45mins
- 4Cork
- 11McNeilBooked at 56minsSubstituted forBradyat 82'minutes
- 9Wood
- 10BarnesBooked at 56minsSubstituted forRodriguezat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Drinkwater
- 12Brady
- 19Rodriguez
- 20Hart
- 23Pieters
- 25Lennon
- 28Long
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
- Attendance:
- 10,020
Match Stats
Home TeamBournemouthAway TeamBurnley
- Possession
- Home65%
- Away35%
- Shots
- Home3
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away21
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 0, Burnley 1.
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Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Chris Wood (Burnley).
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VAR Decision: Goal Burnley - Bournemouth 0-1 Burnley (Jay Rodriguez).
Goal!
Goal! Bournemouth 0, Burnley 1. Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) with an attempt from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ashley Westwood with a cross.Goal confirmed following VAR Review.
Post update
Joshua King (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Aaron Lennon (Burnley).
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Offside, Bournemouth. Diego Rico tries a through ball, but Callum Wilson is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Dominic Solanke replaces Philip Billing.
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Joshua King (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Aaron Lennon (Burnley).
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Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Phil Bardsley (Burnley).
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Foul by Joshua King (Bournemouth).
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Phil Bardsley (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Robbie Brady replaces Dwight McNeil.
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Foul by Jack Stacey (Bournemouth).
Post update
Charlie Taylor (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Comments
Join the conversation
A win doesn't have to be pretty or magical it just has to be a win and three points on the board. And this win is a nice way to take the team into Christmas!
So happy Christmas to entire Burnley team, the fans and also the trolls because the trolls top up our laughs and satisfaction every time Burnley play!
In my opinion you are probably a wannabe Championship supporter who is jealous of Burnley's success.
Carry on trolling in the championship and leave the hard fighting clubs like Burnley & AFCB to their success in the Premiership. Holding our own in the biggest league in the world.
I love my 'anti-football/hoofball' Clarets.
Now where's my festive bene'n'ot?
UTC
Clearly a bitter championship fan struggling to make the grade 🤣
Christmas love from the Clarets 💙💜
Anti football rules UTC
Defending is an art and we generally do it well against the teams outside the top 6.
We are effective, we get results and there is no column on a League table awarding bonus points for style.
Merry Christmas!
UTC
#wedon'tneedakeeperagainstbournemouthornewcastle
Yawn.
It's funny to see how supporters of a club who are bankrolled by a billionaire suddenly have such high opinions of themselves.
We are where we are on merit. Earned the hard way not laid on a plate for us.
We don't set out to entertain the opposition's support. We set out to beat the opposition. Job done