Burnley 0-1 Southampton: Premier League – Three Key Players
By Erik Franzo
It’s Hard to Leave Him Out – Danny Ings
The goal was great and rather under-appreciated, but even more unnoticed is the Southampton striker’s work without the ball.
Danny Ings’ goal was a beautifully deft touch. Kyle Walker-Peters slipped in Che Adams and Ings immediately snapped into gear. Ings’ run was perfect for the cutback and some credit needs to go to Adams for understanding exactly where his partner was. As the pass came across, Burnley centre-back Jimmy Dunne lunged across and could have completely disrupted the Saints’ striker, but instead Ings softly chipped the ball into the top right corner. Not a striker’s strike, but underrated goal nonetheless.
More impressive however was Ings’ defensive work. He was routinely in his own defensive third and chased down a potential Burnley cross in the dying moments of the first half. The willingness to go the extra mile and do the selfless tasks is a credit to coaching and the player’s mentality. With all the fitness concerns Ings’ arrived at St. Mary’s with, he has put them aside and truly become one of the best all-around strikers in the Premier League.