And then there were two. Burnley picked up a precious point at Aston Villa to head into the final day outside the relegation zone and, crucially, with the upper hand on Leeds, who must better Burnley’s result on Sunday to avoid dropping into the Championship. As this game rolled into the sixth of what started as four nervy minutes of second-half stoppage time, Burnley’s supporters celebrated a free-kick on halfway like they did Ashley Barnes’s cool first-half penalty. Even the straight red card shown to the Burnley substitute Matt Lowton could not taint a fine evening.
If Burnley do end up securing safety by virtue of their far superior goal difference then they will surely reflect on Nick Pope’s superb showing as a significant chapter in an impressive escape mission. Pope made a trio of fine stops, saving the best until last to deny Bertrand Traoré glancing in, but Burnley will equally wonder how Tyrone Mings prevented the substitute Wout Weghorst from tucking in a winner five minutes from time after Emiliano Martínez instinctively saved from Connor Roberts.
