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VINCENT KOMPANY LEAVES ANDERLECHT AMID LINKS TO VACANT BURNLEY JOB

Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has left his role as Anderlecht head coach amid suggestions he is the front runner to take over at relegated Burnley.

The 36-year-old has been strongly linked with the Clarets for a number of weeks, with the interest apparently not dimming despite Burnley suffering relegation from the Premier League after their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday.

Kompany returned to his boyhood club Anderlecht in the summer of 2019, initially joining as player-manager before hanging up his boots in August 2020 to focus on his coaching career. He guided the club to third in the Belgian league this season.

But on Wednesday Anderlecht confirmed his departure after three years.

In a statement on the club website, Kompany said: “Today only one feeling prevails: I am proud that I was able to start this new chapter at the club of my heart. I have now been a player and a coach of RSC Anderlecht, but above all I remain a loyal fan.”

A move to Burnley would allow Kompany to return to a region where he spent 11 years after signing for City in 2008. His wife Carla is from Manchester and their three children were all born in the city.

However, he would be taking on a sizeable task at Turf Moor.

Following their relegation, Burnley have nine first-team players out of contract this summer and suitors are expected to line up for a number of other regulars, not least England goalkeeper Nick Pope, Dwight McNeil, Maxwel Cornet and Wout Weghorst.

The required rebuilding project would also be hampered as the club is now required to repay a “significant proportion” of a £65million loan taken out during ALK Capital’s leveraged takeover in December 2020.

Wayne Rooney and Chris Wilder have also been linked with the post at Turf Moor, which has been vacant since Sean Dyche was sacked by the club in April. Caretaker boss Mike Jackson, the under-23s manager, took 11 points from eight games but fell short of achieving safety on the final day of the season.

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BURNLEY RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER DEFEAT TO NEWCASTLE

Burnley slipped out of the Premier League as a late fightback was not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle and their former boss Eddie Howe.

The Clarets had looked down and out after Callum Wilson punished an inexplicable Nathan Collins handball from the penalty spot and Newcastle’s top-scorer was given the freedom of the Burnley box to score an easy second on the hour mark.

Maxwel Cornet powered home a Burnley reply in the 69th minute and, when word came through of a Brentford equaliser against Leeds moments later, Burnley responded with their best spell of the game, pegging back Newcastle and forcing corner after corner.

But Cornet headed their best chance straight at Martin Dubravka three minutes from time and, as Jack Harrison secured a 2-1 win for Brentford, Burnley, who celebrated their 140th anniversary a few days ago, saw their six-year stay in the Premier League come to an end.

It was a cruel finish for the Clarets, who had made themselves favourites to avoid the drop, with a battling draw at Aston Villa on Thursday night the latest point picked up by Mike Jackson, who had taken 11 from eight games since replacing the sacked Sean Dyche last month.

But, when it got to the decisive day the pressure seemed to get to Burnley, who were too panicked in their play for long periods, unable to get a grip on the game they needed a result from most.

While Newcastle fans look ahead to what should be a fascinating summer of investment under their new owners, Burnley face a host of potential problems in the second tier.

Club accounts show they must now repay a “substantial” portion of a £65million loan taken out as part of Alan Pace’s leveraged takeover in late 2020, while Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Ashley Barnes and Matej Vydra are on a list of nine first-team players out of contract this summer.

Turf Moor roared on Burnley at kick-off, but the nerves both in the stands and on the pitch were obvious in a fractious start.

With 18 minutes gone Collins reached out an arm after Nick Pope got a fist to a corner. Craig Pawson was sent to the screen by VAR Jarred Gillett before giving an inevitable penalty, and Wilson fired home.

Burnley needed to calm down. Twice Connor Roberts broken down the right, but twice his low cross towards Cornet got no further than the first man.

Otherwise their play was too hurried to trouble Newcastle, who went closest to a second before the break with a counter-attack as Pope stuck out a leg to block Allan Saint-Maximin’s low shot.

Collins almost had another moment in the 49th minute when he tried to turn Jacob Murphy’s cross behind but almost poked it into his own goal.

News of Raphinha’s penalty at Brentford saw the tension rise further and it translated on to the pitch, where Burnley’s own players were running into each other, their composure now entirely deserting them.

Newcastle were quick to capitalise as Saint-Maximin’s cross from the left found Wilson in acres of space and the unmarked forward side-footed the ball past Pope.

Cornet got a goal back in the 69th minute to give Turf Moor some cause for optimism, making no mistake after Dubravka had saved his initial shot.

Hopes were rekindled and Burnley poured forward. Jamaal Lascelles hooked a Cornet header off the line and the crowd were on their feet again as word arrived of a Sergi Canos equaliser in west London.

Moments later, half-time substitute Wout Weghorst stretched to reach a Barnes cross but poked agonisingly wide.

Matt Targett blocked Jack Cork’s shot on the line and then Cornet headed straight at Dubravka with three minutes to go.

Cornet was then denied again in stoppage time as Burnley’s late fightback was not enough.

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BARNES, POPE STAR AS BURNLEY OUT OF BOTTOM THREE

Nick Pope was in inspired form as Burnley drew 1-1 with Aston Villa, taking them out of the relegation zone and above Leeds United on goal difference ahead of the final day of the season.

Pope produced two fine saves to deny Villa midfielder John McGinn before Burnley took the lead on the stroke of half-time.

After Emiliano Buendia had tripped Maxwel Cornet, Ashley Barnes scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Their lead did not last long as Buendia atoned for his earlier error with a volley three minutes after the restart.

Pope then thwarted Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore and Matty Cash before Matt Lowton was dismissed as the match entered stoppage time, but the Clarets held on for a vital point.

Burnley and Leeds both have 35 points, but the Clarets’ -18 goal difference is superior to Jesse Marsch’s team’s -38.

Villa remain 14th with 45 points from 37 matches.

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BURNLEY CLINCH ANOTHER HOME WIN TO PILE PRESSURE ON EVERTON IN RELEGATION ZONE

Matej Vydra’s strike took battling Burnley out of the Premier League relegation zone as caretaker boss Mike Jackson celebrated a crucial victory against European hopefuls Wolves.

Having drawn at West Ham and then beaten Southampton on Thursday, Sean Dyche’s temporary successor oversaw another huge result in the Clarets’ bid to beat the drop.

Burnley may not have been at their best for chunks of Sunday’s encounter but Vydra’s second-half strike proved enough to secure a key 1-0 win against Wolves at a rocking Turf Moor.

The victory takes the Lancashire outfit out of the bottom three, albeit potentially only for a few hours should Everton secure a shock win at title-chasing rivals Liverpool.

It was another impressive result for under-23s boss Jackson, whose side struggled to get going in a first half edged by Bruno Lage’s visitors.

But Burnley kept compact defensively and took their chance in the 62nd minute when lively Dwight McNeil played through Wout Weghorst, whose cross was turned in by Vydra.

The Clarets dug deep to secure a third straight home league win that heaps the pressure on embattled Everton.

Wolves made four changes for their first match in 16 days and started brightly in Lancashire, where Raul Jimenez should have done better with an early shot after Connor Roberts was dispossessed.

McNeil blazed over after a mazy run and Vydra – in for the injured Maxwel Cornet – saw a 20-yard strike comfortably saved when Burnley looked for the opener.

But Lage’s men were finding space and unsettling the nervous hosts, who would have been punished in the 20th minute had Nick Pope not pushed behind a curling right-footed effort by impressive wing-back Jonny.

Wolves continued to create openings but lacked a cutting edge, with Fabio Silva proving a nuisance but moments for them to break the deadlock were wasted.

As for the hosts, Jay Rodriguez teed himself up and volleyed wide before McNeil again cut inside to hit a driven effort from the edge of the box that Jose Sa made a meal of tipping over.

The Turf Moor crowd were celebrating three minutes into the second half as the ball rippled the back of the net.

Vydra was put behind by a quickly-taken free-kick and Sa’s save hit Conor Coady and ricocheted off the Wolves captain into his own goal, only for the offside flag to rightly rule it out.

That chance was swiftly followed by a great save by Pope, who reacted brilliantly to stop Nelson Semedo rifling home from an acute angle.

Play became edgy as the sides looked to unlock one another without throwing everything at it, with Burnley managing to do just that in the 62nd minute.

McNeil’s smart reverse pass put Weghorst behind the napping Wolves backline and the January acquisition crossed for Vydra to slot past Sa and send Turf Moor wild.

Burnley looked invigorated by the goal and were up for the fight, with Hwang Hee-Chan halted by a fine tackle by Roberts and Nathan Collins receiving a standing ovation having thwarted Jimenez.

Substitute Aaron Lennon was proving a handful and Weghorst attempted to add his name to the scoresheet as Wolves toiled.

Substitute Ashley Barnes saw a goal ruled out after kicking the ball out of Sa’s grasp and Pope denied a stoppage-time volley by Hwang as the hosts ran down the clock.

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ROBERTS, COLLINS ON TARGET AS BURNLEY BEAT SAINTS TO CLOSE IN ON EVERTON

Connor Roberts hit a stunning first Premier League goal and Nathan Collins added another as Burnley moved to within one point of fourth-bottom Everton with a 2-0 win against Southampton.

Saints started brightly but it was Burnley who took the lead on 12 minutes when Josh Brownhill teed up Roberts to turn and send a curling effort beyond the reach of Fraser Forster.

Wout Weghorst was twice denied by the brilliance of goalkeeper Forster, who then tipped away a Jay Rodriguez header before Weghorst struck the woodwork as Burnley pressed for a second.

The Clarets doubled their tally after 44 minutes when Collins headed home from another Brownhill assist. It was Burnley’s 11th goal attempt in a dominant opening half.

Charlie Taylor’s superb block averted the danger from Southampton’s Che Adams as the Clarets dug in to claim back-to-back home wins.

Burnley remain 18th on 28 points, but if they avoid defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday the Clarets will move above Everton, who face Liverpool at Anfield later that day.

Southampton stay in 13th with 39 points.

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BURNLEY SACK MANAGER SEAN DYCHE WITH EIGHT GAMES LEFT

Relegation-threatened Burnley have sacked manager Sean Dyche with eight games left to save their Premier League status.

Dyche, 50, had been the longest-serving manager at any Premier League club having taken charge in October 2012, but was shown the door with his side 18th in the Premier League and four points from safety having won only four matches all season.

A statement said: “Burnley Football Club can confirm the club has parted company with manager Sean Dyche, assistant manager Ian Woan, first-team coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer.”

The surprise decision brings to an end a reign in which Dyche twice gained promotion from the Championship and regularly overachieved on a small budget, including a seventh-placed finish in 2018 which earned a Europa League play-off place.

In September Dyche had signed a new contract, due to run until the summer of 2025. His popularity at Burnley was such that a pub across the road from Turf Moor has been named after him.

Alan Pace’s ALK Capital, who took over the club in December 2020, had indicated that securing Dyche’s future was key to their long-term vision for the club, but they have now dispensed with him in the belief the move can save their season.

Pace said: “Firstly, we would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Sean and his staff for their achievements at the club over the last decade.

“During his time at Turf Moor, Sean has been a credit both on and off the pitch, respected by players, staff, supporters, and the wider football community.

“However, results this season have been disappointing and, while this was an incredibly difficult decision, with eight crucial games of the campaign remaining, we feel a change is needed to give the squad the best possible chance of retaining its Premier League status.”

Burnley breathed life into their survival bid with a comeback 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Everton last week, only to blow any chance of building momentum with a 2-0 loss away to bottom side Norwich days later.

Given that defeat was five days ago, the timing of the announcement a little over 48 hours before Sunday’s match at West Ham comes as a surprise.

Though Dyche’s side have conceded the second fewest goals in the bottom half of the Premier League, they have scored only 25 times in 30 league matches this season.

Summer signing Maxwel Cornet, who missed a glorious chance when Burnley were 1-0 down at Carrow Road, has struggled with fitness at times, while Wout Weghorst, brought in to cover for the unexpected loss of Chris Wood to Newcastle in January, has only one goal in 12 appearances.

In his statement, Pace said that club captain Ben Mee, 32, will form part of the coaching staff for Sunday’s trip to West Ham.

“Under-23s coach Mike Jackson, assisted by academy director Paul Jenkins, Under-23s goalkeeping coach Connor King and club captain Ben Mee have been asked to take charge of the team for Sunday’s game with West Ham United,” Pace said.

“The process of replacing Sean has begun and further announcements will be made to supporters in due course.”

A press conference scheduled to take place on Friday to preview the West Ham match has been cancelled.

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CRYSTAL PALACE AND BURNLEY SHARE THE SPOILS AT SELHURST PARK

Draw specialists Crystal Palace and Burnley could not be separated after Luka Milivojevic’s own goal cancelled out an early opener from Jeffrey Schlupp for the hosts at Selhurst Park.

The 1-1 draw made it 12 apiece for the two sides in the Premier League this season and despite a third game unbeaten, Sean Dyche’s visitors stay in the relegation zone.

Palace, who saw captain Milivojevic slide into his own net after 40 seconds of the second half, remain 11th but with a nine-point advantage over their 18th-placed opponents following a predictable draw.

Boosted by back-to-back wins, it was Burnley who started the strongest in the capital with Aaron Lennon firing wide from a corner early on.

The home team had also been lifted by their midweek exploits after they showed a clinical touch at Watford which had recently been missing and they continued in that vein with the opener from their first attack.

Michael Olise was the creator with Dwight McNeil left chasing his shadow out on the right – not long after Erik Pieters had been fooled – before he crossed in for Schlupp to volley home from close range.

It carried on the impressive productivity of ex-Reading attacker Olise since the turn of the year with this his eighth goal involvement from his last 10 matches.

Palace, and in particular their talented youngster, were in the groove now with Olise sending a free-kick over the crossbar before full-back duo Tyrick Mitchell and Nathaniel Clyne tried their luck to no avail in quick succession.

Another effort from Olise saw a left-foot strike deflected over the crossbar following good build-up play by Wilfried Zaha and the same pair combined again before half-time with Nick Pope denying the former with a smart save.

Patrick Vieira’s side had dominated the first half but it took just 40 seconds of the second period for Burnley to level in south London.

Lennon latched onto Jay Rodriguez’s knock down and cut the ball back towards the six-yard area where Milivojevic inadvertently slid home beyond Jack Butland to make it 1-1.

Butland still had not made a save but that changed in the 56th minute when Wout Weghorst was able to head Josh Brownhill’s corner goalwards but the Palace stopper impressively tipped over.

The Clarets had the ball in the net again soon after when Weghorst fired home after Butland had denied Rodriguez but the latter was ruled to be offside.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had been introduced for the Eagles by this point and the momentum shifted again with Zaha going close on two occasions.

Olise found his team-mate for both attacks with Zaha’s right-foot curler thwarted by Pope first before his left-footed effort not long after hit the post and bounced to safety.

Palace produced a string of dangerous crosses into the Burnley area late on but the away side stood firm and held on for a point which continues their momentum and keeps them within touching distance of safety.

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FABINHO SCORES IN LIVERPOOL HARD EARNED VICTORY AT BURNLEY

Fabinho’s fifth goal in seven matches helped Liverpool grind out a 1-0 victory over Burnley in testing conditions to maintain their pursuit of Manchester City.

With rain seemingly blowing around Turf Moor in three different directions at the same time, the conditions seemed ideal for an upset – one Jurgen Klopp’s side could ill-afford starting the game 12 points off the leaders.

But even though the visitors reunited their famed original front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino for the first time since the end of October, it was their new-found goalscoring midfielder who made the breakthrough.

Since the turn of the year, no team-mate has scored more than the Brazil international, whose primary role of anchoring the midfield was also performed superbly in a scrappy contest which saw a number of players struggle.

Tottenham slipped to their third straight defeat after losing 2-0 at home to Wolves.

Raul Jimenez put the visitors in front when he smashed home emphatically after Hugo Lloris parried Leander Dendocker’s initial effort.

Dendoncker doubled their advantage when Ben Davies’ poor pass gave Wolves the incentive to come forward again and after Daniel Podence’s effort crashed off the woodwork, the Belgian was on hand to double the lead and send Wolves above Spurs into seventh.

Kieran Tripper’s first-half free-kick helped Newcastle move four points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

Referee Craig Pawson originally gave a penalty following Callum Chambers’ foul on Joe Willock but after VAR was consulted, the foul was judged to be just outside the area, Trippier stepped up and smashed the free-kick past Emiliano Martinez after it deflected off Emi Buendia.

Villa thought they had an equaliser when Ollie Watkins headed in from close range but VAR ruled him to be offside and the Magpies held on for their third victory on the spin.

Craig Dawson’s last-minute goal helped West Ham rescue a point against Leicester in a 2-2 draw at the King Power Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen latched on to a long ball from Issa Diop and coolly smashed home to give the away side the lead heading into the break.

Youri Tielemans converted a penalty after Aaron Cresswell handled the ball inside the area and the Foxes soon had the lead when Ricardo Pereira dived in at the back post to head past Lukasz Fabianski.

However, Dawson was on hand to finish past Kasper Schmeichel for the equaliser despite claims that it came off the defender’s arm.

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MANCHESTER UNITED HELD BY BURNLEY AS JAY RODRIGUEZ ENDS GOAL DROUGHT

Manchester United dropped out of the top four as Jay Rodriguez’s 100th career league goal – and first in 50 games – earned relegation-battling Burnley a well-deserved 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

United dominated the first half as Paul Pogba, making his first Premier League start since his red card in the 5-0 capitulation to Liverpool in October, showed flashes of his brilliant best and fired the visitors in front with 18 minutes gone.

It was one of three times United had the ball in the Burnley net in the first half, with the other two ruled out, but momentum shifted radically in the second half after Rodriguez levelled in the 47th minute with the hosts then squandering chances to win it.

Sean Dyche will see it as a hugely encouraging point but will also know his side must soon find a way to accumulate them in threes if they are to survive – Newcastle’s win over Everton meant the gap to safety increased on the night to four points.

Ralf Rangnick left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in favour of Edinson Cavani, and pointedly said the decision was made because of the need to chase down Burnley and battle for second balls.

Dyche had promised to make it awkward for the visitors but, on the night that Burnley celebrated their 5,000th professional league game, they struggled to keep his word in the first half – allowing United too much time and space while gifting them possession.

The visitors had the ball in the net with 12 minutes gone at Turf Moor. Mike Dean blew for what was a soft foul at best on Pogba, and Bruno Fernandes whipped in the ball for Raphael Varane to head in at the far post.

United celebrated what they thought was a first goal from a set-piece this season but Dean was advised to check the pitch-side monitor. Though Varane was on, the goal was eventually ruled out as a clearly offside Harry Maguire had barged into Rodriguez as the ball came in.

It was only a temporary reprieve for Burnley. Six minutes later, Pogba left no room for debate as he thumped the ball high into the net from Luke Shaw’s pull-back after Burnley had allowed Marcus Rashford far too much space down the left.

The ball was in Burnley’s net again moments later as Ashley Westwood inadvertently poked home Rashford’s low cross, but it was quickly ruled out for a foul by Pogba on Erik Pieters in the build-up.

Burnley were left exposed down the right time after time, but United could not capitalise as the best of the chances was headed straight at Pope by Cavani.

Everything changed after the break. Burnley, whose last home league goal against United came back in 2009, did not have a shot in the first half but needed only two minutes of the second to level.

Weghorst did well to wriggle free of two defenders before turning and playing in Rodriguez, who held off Maguire before firing under David De Gea for his first league goal in 360 days.

The atmosphere changed in a moment, and Weghorst brought a fine save out of De Gea with a powerful strike from 20 yards before Pieters flashed a volley narrowly wide from the resulting corner.

United’s problems continued as Rodriguez span around Maguire, who hauled him back and was grateful to see only a yellow card.

After seeing Connor Roberts blaze over another decent chance, Rangnick sent for Ronaldo in the 67th minute.

United slowly regained some initiative – Varane’s cute drag-back was blocked by Mee in the 79th minute before Ronaldo headed over – but Burnley defended doggedly, roared on by Turf Moor, as they restored some faith after Saturday’s drab goalless draw with Watford.

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CHRIS WOOD SET FOR NEWCASTLE MEDICAL

All Whites striker Chris Wood is reportedly on the verge of switching English Premier League clubs.

The Burnley frontman was reportedly set to undergo a medical at relegation rivals Newcastle United on Thursday (NZ time), Sky Sports UK reported.

Newcastle would pay a reported 25 million pounds ($NZ50 million) for the Wood, who is set to follow Kieran Trippier to the club after the England full back arrived from Atletico Madrid last week.

Newcastle are in need of attacking reinforcements with striker Callum Wilson out for eight weeks due to a calf injury.

Wood has scored three goals in 21 matches for Burnley in all competitions this season. The 30-year-old has played at a number of English clubs including Leeds United, Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Newcastle, who were taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in October, are expected to further bolster their squad during in the January window in a bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s team are currently second from bottom with 11 points from 19 games. Watford, who occupy 17th spot just above the relegation zone, are on 13 points after 18 games.

Burnley are also on 11 points but have played two games fewer than Newcastle.