Burnley have joined Sheffield United in the relegation waters from the Premier League after a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany’s side needed a victory in north London to have any chance of taking their survival bid to the last day of the season.
Jacob Bruun Larsen’s 25th-minute opener gave the second-bottom Clarets a glimmer of hope.
But Pedro Porro equalised seven minutes later and Micky van de Ven bagged Tottenham’s winner in the 82nd minute.
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Five points adrift of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest with one game left, Burnley join already-relegated Sheffield United in returning to the Championship after last season’s promotion.
Kompany consoled his heart-broken players on the pitch after the final whistle as the grim reality of relegation washed over them.
“Today the Premier League is over but tomorrow we start day one of doing everything we can to get back to the Premier League,” Kompany said.
“The game has gone a bit like others have gone for us this season. We created chances but the one where we missed the final pass.
“I’m not here sulking and feeling sorry for us but if you take every game, every season as a learning experience, this is step we need to get into our game.”
Burnley had been heading back towards the second tier for months before finally showing some fight in recent weeks to stay in the hunt to beat the drop.
Former Manchester City defender Kompany was hailed for the stylish way Burnley swaggered to the Championship title last season.
But the Premier League proved far tougher for Kompany, who is in his second season in charge of the Turf Moor club.
It took Burnley seven games to secure their first league win of the campaign, setting the tone for a difficult season that included heavy defeats against Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.
The Clarets spent six successive seasons in the top tier from 2016 to 2022 under Sean Dyche.
Now Kompany will have to start from scratch in the Championship if he is to eventually reestablish Burnley as Premier League regulars.
“I’m very lucky to be surrounded by good people, hardworking players, staff and fans who have backed the club for generations. That’s who we try to do it for every weekend,” Kompany said.
AFP
