Burnley not having a permanent manager has done wonders for them thus far.
Their decision to sack Sean Dyche was met with criticism but their 2-0 win over Southampton at Turf Moor after drawing against West Ham may suggest otherwise.
Burnley’s 2-0 win piled the pressure back on Everton in the Premier League relegation battle, moving them to within a point of Frank Lampard’s side.
The Clarets are in 18th place in the standings on 28 points from 32 games with Everton on 29 points with a game in hand.
The home side did rely on their luck to stop Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side as Southampton should have taken an early lead when Oriol Romeu was left unmarked at a corner but his header was off target.
Burnley were able to build themselves into control after the let off.
Wales international Connor Roberts put the home side ahead in the 12th minute with a curling effort into the far corner that left Southampton’s Fraser Forster no chance to save.
Jay Rodriguez then saw a header superbly saved by Forster before the Netherlands forward Wout Weghorst put his follow-up header against the woodwork as Burnley took played fearless football.
Burnley, with their Under-23 coach Mike Jackson and injured club captain Ben Mee in temporary charge of the team, played with a level of creativity and verve that they lacked under Dyche this season.
There were more chances at both ends, with Romeu missing an almost identical chance for before Burnley doubled their lead a minute before the break with Nathan Collins heading in a Josh Brownhill corner.
Burnley thought they had a third when Jack Cork turned the ball but the effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Nick Pope pulled off an outstanding reflex save to keep out a volley from substitute Che Adams before Burnley saw out any danger in the final minutes as they made sure of three vital points.
They next host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday and a win or even a draw would move them above Everton and out of the bottom three.
Lampard’s side will have to contend with the rolling juggernaut of Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield later that day to avoid falling into relegation places.
