Danny Ings the difference as Southampton edge past Burnley

Danny Ings’ third goal of the season in the fifth minute of play was enough to give Southampton victory over Burnley in a fairly drab Saturday night Premier League affair.

Ings, who now has scored more goals since the start of last season than any player, was the beneficiary of fine build up from Kyle Walker-Peters and Che Adams.

The former Spurs full back drifted in from the right before playing a fine ball through for Adams on the right hand side of the six yard box who, as Nick Pope blocked his path, pulled the ball back for his strike partner and the England marksman got just enough contact to clip the ball into the net, despite a lunging challenge from Jimmy Dunne.

Burnley did not go close often, a shot from Charlie Taylor forcing a decent stop from Alex McCarthy on the hour mark a rare glimmer of a chance, and with five debutants on the bench, manager Sean Dyche did not have much ammunition to alter the game.

Southampton move up to 15th with their first win of the season, while Burnley have no points from two games.

He has of course played for Liverpool, and a mostly miserable four years he had there, and you would imagine he is happy back at the side he first played youth football for, but it is hard to see how a Champions League side would not benefit from him joining their squad before the transfer deadline.

Manchester City might seem a strange fit, but who would be better to slot in over the next few months when Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus are injured - absences that ultimately could cost them a shot at the Premier League title.

Similarly Everton, after such a strong start, could get guaranteed firepower which they might not seem to be lacking at present, but may become an issue as winter kicks in. Except Liverpool and Arsenal, you could make an argument for the other top sides as well.

Southampton will be keen for the transfer deadline to be passed to ensure their key man can keep them a comfortable distance from relegation danger at the New Year.

Ralph Hasenhuttl said before the game he brought Vestergaard in particularly with the opponent in mind and Vestergaard and partner Jan Bednarek set up a wall that Burnley's in-form Chris Wood did not look like penetrating, barring from an errant Ryan Bertrand backpass where the Kiwi put the ball in the net but with the linesman's flag - a borderline but correct call - leading the Saints defenders and goalkeeper to stop play.

Vestergaard had 13 clearances, won nine headers and blocked a shot, though his fellow centre half with a similar stat-line could easily have been given this award as well.

The defensive pair will have tougher assignments but, with Jack Stephens as well, the Saints have three defenders worthy of the name in a league where too many sides do not have one reliable central stopper to call upon.

Burnley: Pope 6, Bardsley 6, Long 6, Dunne 6, Taylor 7, Brownhill 6, Stephens 7, Westwood 6, McNeil 6, Vydra 6, Wood 6.

Southampton: McCarthy 6, Walker-Peters 6, Vestergaard 8*, Bednarek 8, Bertrand 6, Romeu 6, Ward-Prowse 6, Djenepo 5, Armstrong 6, Adams 6, Ings 7.

Subs: Obafemi 6. Tella 6.

5' GOAL! One attack. One shot. One goal. And of course it comes from Danny Ings. Walkers-Peters plays a superb ball down the inside-right channel for Che Adams who, with Pope coming to meet him, pulled the ball back to the England striker who found the net once more.

16' Southampton dominating possession in Burnley's half and eventually the ball comes to Ings on the left touchline and he cuts back to Adams but he blazes over the bar.

46' A chance for Chris Wood. Westwood picked him out at the back post but the big Kiwi just doesn't get a strong enough connection on his header and McCarthy catches the ball before it reaches the far post.

56' The linesman's flag saves Southampton and Bertrand and McCarthy's blushes there. Bertrand was short on a backpass and McCarthy very slow off his line and Wood beat him to it and clipped the ball past him before slotting into the net. Dyche is fuming VAR haven't looked at the offside which looked very close - but was a correct call.

59' So close from Taylor. Deep cross from Bardsley is brilliant salvaged at the back post by McNeill and the clearance then falls to Taylor whose effort is superbly tipped away at the near post by McCarthy.

90+1' Offside! A fine finish from Ings after a through-ball from Armstrong but he was clearly offside.