6 months ago
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As the rain came lashing down at a dreary Turf Moor, Burnley's despondent supporters poured out of the stadium early in the second half knowing their miserable season was almost over.
Alexander Isak's 54th-minute goal in the 4-1 home humbling by Newcastle United set the visiting fans bouncing and sparked a mass exodus from the locals, leaving the Clarets clinging on to their top-flight status by their fingertips.
A wretched showing, their 12th defeat at home this season, means Vincent Kompany's side are five points adrift of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest with two games remaining.
Burnley had hopes of taking it to the final day when they host Forest with the aim of securing the greatest Premier League relegation escape, but it looks like their fate has already been sealed.
"That is embarrassing from Burnley," former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live during the game.
"The Burnley full-backs have left their areas all afternoon and Newcastle have exploited them brutally.
"Isak hammered that into the roof of the net and all of the Burnley fans are leaving. They know the Burnley team has the look of one that is doomed.
"Burnley were in good form before today, but today was brutal and I can't make a case for them staying up."
Burnley's spirits were high following a run of one defeat in their last eight games, dragging back a deficit of 11 points as recent as March to just two before kick-off on Saturday.
At 0-0, news filtered through from Bramall Lane that Forest had fallen 1-0 behind at already-relegated Sheffield United, but it was the only cheer of another dismal performance.
Kompany's side had been much improved but put in a performance akin to what fans had seen early in the season when they lost all seven of their opening games.
This was their 22nd defeat from 36 games during this campaign and no side has stayed up in the top-flight with as many notches in the 'L' column.
"In the end I am not beaten or defeated by it personally in terms of my attitude," said Kompany. "They are a good side with phenomenal attacking players, midfielders comfortable on the ball and aggressive in other situations.
"In these types of games I am conscious those moments you have liked in the first 15 and seize a game, if you don't then you are exposed to a scenario like this.
"We never let this game die, the result and score was done but we kept going, kept threatening and that is all I can ask my players to do."
There are still six points available to pick up against Tottenham and Forest, which would take them up to 30, but it might still not be enough as Nuno Espirito Santo's side await the result of their appeal after being docked four points for breaching the Premier League's financial rules.
Turf Moor was barely half-full at the final whistle, fans marching out in their numbers long before the end knowing there is likely no way back from this result.
A defiant Kompany added: "For us, we have to look at that Spurs game as the final game of the season. If the opposition teams lose and we win, what are you going to write then? That's all it is.
"If they lose and we win, all of a sudden we have a different discussion before the next game. If we get a bonus with a game against Forest, then that's our final, that's how we have to look at it."
