SAINTS are unable to make it two consecutive wins despite leading strugglers Burnley, playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw at St Mary’s. 

Goals from Tino Livramento and Armando Broja either side of half-time cancelled out a Maxwel Cornet opener, before the same Clarets attacker pegged Saints back against the run of play.

Saints dominated for large periods and will be disappointed that they couldn't capitalise on a winnable occasion that squirmed from their grasp.

Despite remarking that he had a big squad to choose from in the build-up to the game, with only Jack Stephens ruled out through injury and no fresh concerns, Ralph Hasenhuttl named just one change to his victorious side from last weekend. 

Theo Walcott came in from the start to replace Moussa Djenepo, meaning summer signing Adam Armstrong again missed out in favour of Leeds match-winners Broja and Nathan Redmond, the former making only his second Premier League start.

The result over Leeds last time out had obviously buoyed the support inside the stadium, with quite a lively atmosphere only intensified in the opening minutes when Broja showed just how quick he is putting Nick Pope under pressure with a lengthy press.

But that atmosphere was quickly flattened with a Clarets opener inside 15 minutes. Matt Lowton crossed ambitiously from just passed the halfway line but Maxwel Cornet was free inside the area and could easily rise to glance one across goal. 

It was a gut punch after a positive start, and Broja and Walcott had a couple of chances throughout courtesy of the inventive Livramento but couldn’t get a clean shot at goal – Nathan Redmond had one, though, as Saints stormed the Burnley end at the close of the half. 

Alex McCarthy had made a strong save low to deny Chris Wood after a slick one-touch move opened Saints up to add to the tension. 

Saints should have been level as the young full back again fizzed a ball across and utter disbelief rang out, as Redmond turned wide at the back-post from no more than five yards. Livramento then took a turn of his own to strike, but his effort cannoned off the post and travelled back along the goalline to safety. 

St Mary’s was electric once again and Saints poured forward, pounding the Burnley lines with salvo after salvo. And then Livramento had his crowning moment, his first senior career goal – and from a corner, no less. 

Redmond whipped and Livramento snuck inbetween the defenders targeting Broja’s climb to nod in a well deserved equaliser. 

Then, just five minutes after the restart, Ibrahima Diallo picks off a misplaced pass on the halfway to send Broja in. This time the Albanian has the time he needs, opting not to square to Walcott and sweeping in past Nick Pope from a narrowing angle. 

Cornet again hit the net, pegging back Saints this time in bizarre fashion. He held off defender Jan Bednarek as the ball was nodded his way before sweeping one on the turn from outside the area – bouncing into the far corner past a scrambling McCarthy.

Saints continued to have the better of the play throughout as they chased a winner – one that would have been the same result as Saints’ victory over Burnley at St Mary’s in April – but were disrupted by an industrious Burnley, who picked up three yellow cards.

An aura of dominance turned to a taste of desperation as Saints pushed in the final ten minutes, with long-range efforts from Livramento, Redmond and Diallo all failing to find the net in quick succession. 

Saints XI: McCarthy; Livramento, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud; Romeu ©, Diallo, Walcott (S. Armstrong 73’), Elyounoussi; Redmond (A. Armstrong 88’), Broja

Unused subs: Lyanco, Valery, Walker-Peters, Djenepo, Tella, Adams, Forster (g/k) 

Booked: Elyounoussi

Burnley XI: Pope; Lowton, Taylor, Cork (Rodriguez 70’), Tarkowski, Brownhill, Wood (Vydra 90’), McNeil, Westwood, Cornet (Gudmundsson 77’), Collins

Unused subs: Barnes, Lennon, Pieters, Bardsley, Long, Hennessey (g/k)

Booked: Cork, Rodriguez, Westwood