Football news - Teenager Dwight McNeil inspires Burnley to much-needed victory over West Ham
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ByEurosport
Updated 30/12/2018 at 16:39 GMT
Turf Moor, Premier League - Burnley 2 (Wood 15', McNeil 34') West Ham 0
Dwight McNeil of Burnley celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with his team mates during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and West Ham United at Turf Moor on December 29, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
Nineteen-year-old Dwight McNeil scored his first Premier League goal as strugglers Burnley secured a much-needed victory over West Ham.
The midfielder became the first ever teenager to score a goal for the Clarets in the top-flight to cap a productive afternoon for Sean Dyche's side who move level on points with 17th-placed Southampton with the victory.
Burnley started the game on the front-foot and were rewarded for their positive approach on the 15th-minute mark when Chris Wood broke the deadlock, and 10 minutes before the half-time break McNeil doubled the advantage with a lovely finish from a tight angle in just his second appearance for the club.
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Chris Wood of Burnley celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with Dwight McNeil of Burnley during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and West Ham United at Turf Moor on December 29, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
The Clarets continued to play with high intensity after the restart but couldn't add to their advantage with Ashley Barnes and Wood squandering further opportunities.
West Ham came into the game in good form and Manuel Pellegrini will be desperately disappointed his side let their standards slip. The closest the visitors came was through Andy Carroll's bullet header which the returning Tom Heaton - who replaced Joe Hart in goal - did well to push behind.
Victory keeps Burnley in 18th but only an inferior goal difference prevents them from climbing out of the bottom three. West Ham remain 11th.
TALKING POINT - Can Burnley get their mojo back?
Sean Dyche reverted to a standard 4-4-2 formation as he searched for a winning strategy - and it worked to a tee. His players responded to a crushing 5-1 home defeat to Everton on Boxing Day with their best performance of the season. Burnley were simply hungrier than their opponents, they never gave dangermen Michail Antonio and Felipe Anderson an inch on the flanks, they overran their visitors in midfield and found a way to keep Marko Arnautovic quiet.
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Thomas Heaton of Burnley celebrates his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and West Ham United at Turf Moor on December 30, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
The Clarets have already conceded 41 goals this season - five more than the whole of last term - but this was a much more resolute showing and for 90 minutes they looked more like the hugely impressive team of 2017/18. It is something to build on as they seek to move away from the relegation zone in the New Year.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Dwight McNeil (Burnley)
Nineteen-year-olds handed an opportunity in the Premier League can often freeze with fear, but not Burnley's up-and-coming star. The midfielder covered every inch of grass, popped up in dangerous areas and took his goal really well.
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Dwight McNeil of Burnley acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Burnley FC and West Ham United at Turf Moor on December 29, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Burnley: Heaton 7, Bardsley 7, Mee 7, Tarkowski 7, Taylor 7, Gudmundsson 8, Westwood 7, Cork 7, McNeil 8, Wood 8, Barnes 8. Subs: Vokes N/A.
West Ham: Fabianski 7, Antonio 5, Ogbonna 5, Diop 5, Cresswell 6, Snodgrass 4, Noble 5, Rice 6, Anderson 5, Perez 4, Arnautovic 5. Subs: Diangana 5, Carroll 5, Silva 5.
KEY MOMENTS
15' - GOAL! Burnley 1-0 West Ham: Chris Wood breaks the deadlock! Burnley's good start is capped with a lovely team goal. Westwood's long ball finds Barnes who heads it down for Wood, his run isn't tracked and he punishes the lacklustre visitiors with a cool finish.
34' - GOAL! Burnley 2-0 West Ham: What a moment for 19-year-old McNeil who scores his first league goal on just his second start! Westwood stands up a lovely cross to the far post where McNeil has peeled off his marker. He still an awful lot to do from a tight angle but catches the ball with a sweet half-volley which ends up in the near corner of the goal.
39' - BURNLEY CHANCE! McNeil should have his second of the match. Barnes latches onto a ball on the right behind the West Ham defence and he pulls it back for the 19-year-old inside the box. It falls to him on his weaker right foot, however, and he's unable to guide his first-time shot on target.
50' - BIG SAVE! West Ham defenders continue to play at sixes and sevens. Woods finds himself in the unfamiliar position as a winger. He plays a lovely one-two with a team mate before crossing for Barnes at the near post but Fabianski is off his line quickly to deny the Burnley forward at point-blank range.
55' - MISS! Burnley squander another wonderful opportunity. Bardsley harries and hurries Anderson in midfield, winning possession, Westwood takes over and threads a delightful through-pass to Wood who now only has the goalkeeper to beat but somehow he drags his shot wide.
89' - WONDERFUL SAVE! Carroll's goal-bound header is pushed behind by Heaton who makes a fine stop on his return to action.
KEY STATS
- Five of Chris Wood's 13 Premier League goals have been scored against West Ham (38%).
- Dwight McNeil has become the first ever teenager to score a Premier League goal for Burnley.
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