Burnley 1-0 Southampton

Joey Barton’s 78th-minute winner highlighted his return to Burnley and condemned Southampton to a fourth successive Premier League defeat.

Southampton, coming off arguably their best performance of the season in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, was again void of the final product despite a host of first half chances, including Dusan Tadic having an attempt cleared off the line.

Barton’s late breakthrough came just six minutes after his introduction when he slotted a free kick into the bottom corner to a jubilant reaction.

Burnley, who moved into the top half of the table, has won eight of their last 10 matches at Turf Moor where Southampton is without a victory in their last two visits.

Dusan Tadic nearly put Southampton ahead on 33 minutes, firing a shot across goal only to beat the far upright. The Serbian is without a goal in 18 appearances and should have made it 1-0 before halftime, but his header was placed too close to Mee allowing the defender to clear away.

Steven Defour had Burnley’s first true chance after the restart, but his free kick from distance was saved and he went close again when his 64th-minute attempt required a smart save from Fraser Forster.

Tom Heaton kept the scoreline 0-0 with a quarter hour remaining as he threw his body in front of a goal mouth scramble after Virgil van Dijk did well to place the ball inside the six yard box for a charing Maya Yoshida.

Following a foul against Oriol Romeu on George Boyd, Barton stepped up before sending a low free kick through a pocket of players and beyond the keeper.

Van Dijk missed a chance to draw Southampton level in the 87th minute, sending his header straight at Heaton.

Jay Rodriguez also came close when he curled a shot on target, which was saved. Josh Sims was first to the rebound, but Heaton dove to deny the teenager at the near post.

Burnley: Heaton, Ward, Mee, Keane, Lowton, Boyd, Marney (Barton 73), Defour (Vokes 74), Hendrick, Gray (Tarkowski 87), Barnes.

Unused subs: Robinson (GK), Flanagan, Kightly, Darikwa.

Goals: Barton (79).

Bookings: Marney (50).

Southampton: Forster, Bertrand, van Dijk (c), Yoshida, Cedric, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Tadic (Rodriguez 68), Redmond (Sims 80), Long.

Unused subs: Taylor (GK), Martina, Stephens, Clasie, Reed.

Goals: None.

Bookings: Yoshida (24), Romeu (68).