Tottenham put Burnley out of their misery, writes AADAM PATEL… Vincent Kompany’s side only survived this long due to points deductions and the quality of the teams around them

Perhaps it was fitting that on the day the Burnley Express officially called time on his international cricket career, time was also called on Burnley’s time in the Premier League.

That’s where the similarities end, however. Whereas Jimmy Anderson may have been guilty of overstaying his welcome, his football team never once looked like staying in the Premier League this season and got what they deserved.

Unlike the scenes at the London Stadium down the road with Rob Edwards and his Luton players, there were no tears nor much emotion from the Burnley players when the final whistle went at Tottenham and confirmed their fate.

That Vincent Kompany’s side even survived until the penultimate weekend of the season was due to points deductions and the quality of the teams around them rather than any fight they’ve shown this campaign.

With 24 points, Burnley should have been put out of their misery well before Saturday afternoon. For context, 34 points is the lowest points tally achieved by a Premier League team that has stayed up when West Brom pulled off ‘The Great Escape’ in 2005.

Burnley put up a decent fight against Tottenham and took a surprise lead in the first-half

Burnley have lost 23 league games and have done well to survive until the penultimate match

In fairness, Burnley put up a decent fight against Tottenham and took a surprise lead in the first-half but had goalkeeper Arijanet Muric to thank for keeping them in the contest in the second half.

It summed it up too that Muric was the first one out of the changing rooms, through the mixed zone and out of the ground well before any of his teammates.

Belatedly recalled to the starting eleven in March after James Trafford was dropped, Muric made seven more saves here and again showed his worth.

With 60 saves in nine matches of Premier League football, his save percentage of 80.8 per cent is the best in the division and surely justification that Kompany should have turned to him sooner in the season.

The Burnley boss insisted post-match that this was no time for sulking or moaning but the reality is that if he remains in the job, he must decide what to do with what is now a bloated and expensive squad. His own reputation has massively declined after this season.

‘It’s the end of a chapter not the end of a story’ were the words on the Burnley’s X account after relegation was confirmed.

Arijanet Muric kept Burnley in the game during the second-half with some excellent saves

Vincent Kompany insisted post-match that this was no time for sulking or moaning

And from how the squad were applauded and sang off by what looked like the entirety of the travelling support, Kompany still has enough credit in the bank.

It was only a year ago that his side secured promotion with a mammoth 101 points and with seven matches remaining – a Championship record. Now he must do it all again.