Southampton: One moment vs Burnley shows that Danny Ings is human

Danny Ings has been having such a good season that Southampton fans could have been forgiven for thinking he wasn’t human.

Scoring at the weekend saw the striker take his goal tally for the campaign to 18 and further emphasise his importance at St Mary’s.

However, the 27-year-old had unfortunately played a big part in the opening goal for Burnley on Saturday with a rare misjudgement.

Just two minutes into the game in wet and windy conditions, the visitors to St Mary’s won a corner that produced one of the more bizarre goals of the season.

Ashley Westwood’s delivery looked very close to going straight out of play at the near post where Ings was defending, but the Saints man made a slight miscalculation and saw the ball drift straight in and over the line.

From memory, it is only the second real blunder that Ings has made this in the current season.

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Back in August during the first home game against Liverpool he missed a big chance to level the game at 2-2 late on, but apart from that he has been exceptional.

Saturday’s error is unlikely to get to him given the tough mental strength he has had to have to return from injuries, and his outstanding football brain will be a big asset for Saints in the second half of the league campaign.

The moment perhaps summed up Ings’ mood on the day and his character even if it did really cost Saints some points.

He would have been eager to make an impression on the match playing against his old club, but there are also bigger things for him to be motivated about too.

On 15 Premier League goals, he sits just two league strikes behind top-flight leader Jamie Vardy and will clearly see himself in the hunt for the golden boot – an achievement which would sum up his return to fitness and subsequent form this year.

Then in the summer, there is Euro 2020.

Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford are both injured currently and it has been reported that Ings will be given a chance to impress in upcoming England friendlies by Gareth Southgate.