BURNLEY manager Vincent Kompany declared Nathan Tella’s fifth goal on loan as one “not many strikers would have scored”.

The Saints loanee’s first-half strike was enough to seal a 1-0 win for the Clarets over Coventry and move within two points of the automatic promotion places in the Championship.

Tella, who signed a new contract at St Mary’s to 2025 in January, has been impressing at the Lancashire outfit in his first loan spell – after Ralph Hasenhuttl’s decision to let him find minutes.

Speaking after Saturday’s match, Kompany said: “At times you’ve got to stretch the line, make runs, disrupt the line and part of it is those runs and Nathan has been successful with them a few times already this season.

“He keeps doing that and he gives us something else as well. The impressive one is the variety of goals he is scoring.

“I’m used to square balls and tap-ins but that goal is a difficult one, how he brings it down and puts it into the opposite (side) of the net when it is bouncing, not many strikers would have scored that goal.”

Burnley have only lost once so far this season and not since the opening day – but they have drawn six of 11 matches.

Tella’s first three goals came in his first two starts for Burnley while he now has two in his last three, netting at Cardiff City last weekend.

It is likely possible Saints could recall Tella in January, should they feel they need the added reinforcements in attack. 

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