Ben Mee’s header sinks Tottenham and throws Burnley another lifeline

If there were ever fears of Burnley’s clash with Spurs being an example of “After the Lord’s Mayor Show” for the Clarets, their own leader Ben Mee ensured the procession continued. The Burnley captain spent the game flinging himself around to stop Spurs scoring before heading the winning goal to earn his side a second successive victory to boost their survival hopes.

Prior to his goal, Mee had dived across his own goal to head away a Dejan Kulusevski shot targeting the bottom corner. The captain is the beating heart of the club after more than 10 years at Turf Moor, a man on a mission to ensure he does not end his anniversary season as a Championship player, as shown by his chest pumping celebrations.

Mee should have doubled the lead at the same back post he had previously been so clinical at, this time from a corner as he poked a shot goal, receiving it back to volley across the area to a waiting Jay Rodriguez who was only able to lift the ball over from six yards out, not that it mattered as Spurs had no answer in the closing stages.

The swirling wind and rain implied perfect conditions for Burnley to build on their win at Brighton but it was Spurs that started the brightest, buoyed by defeating leaders Manchester City. Within a minute of the whistle Harry Kane found himself in space on the right-hand side of the area, giving him the time and space to send in a dangerous, low cross which deflected off the outside of James Tarkowski’s boot into the side-netting, though many inside the ground feared it had gone in.

There was a pace and energy rarely seen from Burnley this season; Spurs’ defence did not enjoy being put under pressure, giving away a needless corner while trying to pass it around in their own area, while