Shane Long repaid Ronald Koeman’s faith in him by scoring as Saints defeated Burnley 2-0 at St Mary’s.

The Republic of Ireland international kept his place in the side and delivered the opening goal as Saints kept up the chase for European football.

Daily Echo:

A second half own goal from Jason Shackell rounded off the scoring.

The only bad news of the day for Koeman on his 52nd birthday was a suspected knee ligament injury sustained by keeper Fraser Forster, who was taken to hospital for further examination and treatment.

The new formation which Koeman started with was certainly intriguing.

Rather than the expected 4-4-2 it was in practise more of a 4-2-2-2 with Morgan Schneiderlin and Steven Davis as holding midfielders and Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane between them and the front two of Graziano Pelle and Shane Long.

The obvious problem was obviously going to be whether Saints could find much width, or indeed break Burnley down through the middle where they could pack bodies behind the ball.

The first incident of note in the game was an unhappy one for Saints as they were forced into a change after just 14 minutes.

Fraser Forster went to clear the ball with his right foot under pressure from Sam Vokes but as he did so his left foot seemed to stick in the ground and horribly twist his knee.

Forster went down in agony and after extensive treatment was stretchered off to be replaced by Kelvin Davis, getting his first taste of action not only this season but for 13 months, having last featured in the FA Cup defeat at Sunderland in February 2014.

Saints responded well and created a good chance just two minutes later as Long’s flick on was directed to Ryan Bertrand, who in turn slipped it to his right to Pelle.

There was a great chance to shoot just on the edge of the box but instead the striker tried to take it further into the area and was dispossessed.

Daily Echo:

Davis was called upon to make a fantastic save on 24 minutes.

Burnley were trying to take advantage of a lack of width from Saints by playing into the wide areas themselves and Ashley Barnes looped got forward to loop in a left wing cross.

Daily Echo:

Dnany Ings managed to get a touch to send it back across the area and Vokes nailed a half volley from ten yards that Davis got down quickly to his left to block.

They had strong penalty appeals waved away shortly afterwards as Jose Fonte slid in and appeared to fell George Boyd in the area.

Daily Echo:

After weathering some pressure Saints did manage a shot of their own, a guided effort from outside the area by Schneiderlin, but it was deflected wide.

However, their frustration wasn’t to last too much longer as they took the lead on 37 minutes.

It was certainly a scrappy goal, but Saints did not care.

Daily Echo:

Tadic’s left wing cross ended up scrambled out of the area to Nathaniel Clyne, whose low drilled shot from 20 yards deflected off of a Burnley defender and straight to Long, who side footed a firm finish home from eight yards out for 1-0.

Pelle should have doubled the lead five minutes later.

Tadic’s deep free kick was headed back across by Fonte and dropped perfectly for Pelle to volley home from the edge of the six yard box. However, his effort hit the bar and came back out.

Daily Echo:

Burnley went up the other end and so nearly equalised as Vokes laid the ball off to Ings who struck a superb shot but was foiled by a truly wonderful save from Davis, diving full length to his right to turn it wide.

In a pulsating end to the first half, both sides came close again.

For Saints, Steven Davis flicked a looping header towards goal from Tadic’s left wing cross but Tom Heaton tipped it over.

Daily Echo:

Davis also had to turn over the bar, his save from a central header ten yards out from Vokes.

Saints made a half time change with Victor Wanyama replacing Tadic and Koeman reverting to the regular 4-2-3-1 formation with Long going out to the left, Steven Davis through the middle and Mane on the right.

Steven Davis almost made an instant impact in his more attacking role with a half volley from inside the area which was well struck but fired into the side netting.

Daily Echo:

Long also tried his luck with a curling and dipping effort from 25 yards that whistled narrowly wide.

However, there was no denying Saints a second goal on 58 minutes.

Steven Davis lifted the ball down the left to Ryan Bertrand whose fiercely half volley cross from the by-line caused an own goal.

Daily Echo:

Jason Shackell was in a central position on the edge of the six yard and instinctively stuck out his right leg to try and block the ball but instead diverted it directly into his own net.

Pelle was presented with another chance on 71 minutes as Steven Davis stood up a cross from the right by-line which the Italian striker did well to rise highest to meet at the far post but he put his header straight at Heaton.

Burnley made their first change in an attempt to get back into the game with Lukas Jutkiewick coming on for Vokes. However, it looked a long shot with Saints having been so much more solid after the half time change in formation which shut down the wide areas.

Daily Echo:

Shackell had a chance to make up for his own goal with ten minutes remaining but headed off target when found unmarked from a free kick.

Burnley responded with another change with Ross Wallace coming on for Barnes.

Pelle came close again, this time with a tough chance as his flicked diving header from a right wing cross flashed across goal but wide.

Burnley made a final switch with two minutes remaining as Marvin Sordell replaced Ings.

It was not to make any difference though as Saints already had the points in the bag as they continued their charge towards European football.