Mike Jackson defiant despite first defeat denting Burnley’s survival hopes

Mike Jackson has urged his Burnley players not to lose any belief after his unbeaten record as caretaker boss was ended in a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa that deepened their relegation worries.

Former Claret Danny Ings opened the scoring just seven minutes in at Turf Moor before Emi Buendia, architect of the first goal, doubled the lead in the 31st minute and Ollie Watkins finished Burnley off early in the second half – regardless of Maxwel Cornet’s late consolation.

Jackson had taken 10 points from a possible 12 since replacing the sacked Sean Dyche but the bounce is over now and Burnley could find themselves back in the bottom three if Leeds and Everton can pick up points from difficult away fixtures to Arsenal and Leicester respectively on Sunday.

Burnley were second best on the day to Steven Gerrard’s side, but Jackson still believes his players can keep their heads above water.

“If I was going to take any group into this (situation) it would be them,” he said of his squad. “I said that before the Watford game and my thoughts haven’t changed on that.”

“You need (character) all the time in football. You can’t win every game. How do you react? How do you respond? This group has done that before.

“We’ve got a bit of time now to regroup, look at how we can improve, and we focus everything now. There’s three games to go. The league didn’t finish today.”

Though they conceded early, Burnley kept fighting in the first half with Wout Weghorst and Dwight McNeil both threatening, but Turf Moor was left deflated when Buendia was too easily allowed to double Villa’s advantage in the 31st minute.

After Watkins struck at the start of the second half, moments after James Tarkowski departed with a strained hamstring, it became