Southampton 2-2 Burnley: Premier League – Player Ratings

Southampton draw again, 2-2 with Burnley, with goals from Chelsea youngsters Tino Livramento and Armando Broja.

Ralph Hasenhuttl decided on a largely unchanged side from Southampton’s victory over Leeds United.  Dropping Moussa Djenepo, who underperformed last Saturday made sense.  Starting Theo Walcott did not.  An argument for the veteran is Burnley’s woeful form.  Perhaps Ralph sees the need to give Walcott a few matches this season and a contest against the bottom 5 is one of the only opportunities he will get.

Burnley may have scored first, but it was Southampton primarily on the front foot.  A flurry of 1st half chances should have seen them score 3 times in a couple of minutes.  Theo Walcott scuffed a shot off the inside of his foot, Nathan Redmond missed a tap in from 3 yards and Tino Livramento was denied by the post.  The manner in which Saints were stopped was unfathomable.  However, it was the 18 year old Livramento who scored the equaliser, albeit from a Redmond corner kick.

Oriol Romeu and Ibrahima Diallo are proving to be quite the pairing.  However, Romeu’s unwillingness to move the ball over 15 yards may decide his fate upon James Ward Prowse’s return.  Diallo was excellent in picking out Livramentio and Romain Perraud minutes apart with forward-thinking passes, and that may ultimately be the difference in the centre-midfield battle to ensue.

Armando Broja again was the difference maker Southampton needed.  His second goal in consecutive matches punished an opponent’s mistake and is something Saints often fail to do.  There was a lot of good today, but Burnley were limited to 4 or 5 chances and scored twice.  The draws are piling up, but it’s a glass half (something) perspective depending on your personal pessimism or optimism.

Here are the player ratings for Southampton in their 2-2 draw with Burnley.