McNeil Back With A Bang

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Belief pays off as wingman's wonder-goal is fitting winner

2021-03-14T17:22:39.065Z

McNeil Back With A Bang

Belief pays off as wingman's wonder-goal is fitting winner

2021-03-14T17:22:39.065Z

Dwight McNeil feels he’s getting back to his best after his stunning goal helped the Clarets earn one of their best wins of the season.

McNeil took his time to get back up to full speed following a spell out through injury at the turn of the year.

But 21-year-old has hit top form in the past few weeks to help Burnley piece together a crucial unbeaten run.

And he hit fresh heights with a fantastic winner at Everton as Sean Dyche’s men secured a superb 2-1 victory which lifted them seven points clear of the Premier League drop-zone and level on points with 14th-placed Southampton – their next opponents at the start of April.

“It’s difficult when you can be out of form,” said McNeil after claiming his first senior goal away from Turf Moor.

“But you’ve got to have the confidence and belief and it helps when you have the gaffer and the players around you to keep lifting you and keep that belief within yourself

“It can be hard at times, but I think I’m getting back there, like I showed today.”

After Chris Wood had put Burnley ahead, McNeil curled a beauty past England keeper Jordan Pickford as the Clarets had high-flying Everton rocking.

And even though the Toffees pulled one back before the break through Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Burnley weren’t to be denied a fourth away success of the campaign as McNeil’s strike proved a fitting winner and a spectacular way to end his wait for an away goal.

“It's been a while. I was just happy to get the first goal away from home but more importantly to get the three points,” the England Under-21 international told Clarets+

“I drifted inside and Vyds picked me out. I had to beat my first man. I did that and I saw the angle to shoot and I was fortunate to find the top corner.

“I had the slight feeling it might be in when it left my foot. It will be nice to sit down and watch that one again.

“It's nice to be two-up away from home but then they got one back and we knew at the start of the second half they would come out with a different type of tempo which they did.

“They raised it, but we still created chances in the second half. We could have scored more goals. We didn't, but the main thing is we got three points and closer to safety.

“We've had a few draws, but we've still been getting points on the board which is the main thing.

“But it's nice to get the three points, especially away from home, and get us closer to safety.

“We've just got to go again after the international break and keep doing what we're doing.”

The Clarets’ win at Goodison Park made it a historic double as Dyche’s side became the first Burnley team to win at Everton and neighbours Liverpool in the same season.

McNeil’s performance – which also featured a major part in Wood’s sixth goal of the season – also neatly underlined the progress the wideman has made in his stellar rise at Turf Moor.

The 21-year-old has missed just a handful of games since coming off the bench against Everton in a 5-1 Boxing Day defeat in 2018 which left Burnley in the bottom three and deep in relegation trouble.

McNeil was a catalyst for the Clarets’ revival then and has remained a key part of the side which is again moving to within touching distance of top-flight safety thanks to a run of just one defeat in eight games going into their extended international break.

“That was a hard day for us all,” McNeil recalled.

“But we haven’t looked back since as a club, really.

“We’ve moved forward really well and on a personal note it’s nice to be around it. It’s a great team to be part of.

“It’s a great staff and players here and I’m just loving every minute of being here.”