No sulking – Vincent Kompany already plotting Burnley return after relegation

Vincent Kompany promised there would be no sulking after Burnley were relegated following a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham and vowed to immediately start work on a successful season back in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Clarets had looked a sure bet to go down for a number of months, but a run of two losses in nine matches had raised the prospect of an unlikely survival bid.

Only victory at Spurs would have kept alive Burnley’s faint hopes of safety and although Jacob Bruun Larsen put them ahead in the 25th minute, Pedro Porro produced a quick response before Micky van de Ven scored with eight minutes left to send the visitors back down to the second tier.

“I said, no sulking, no moaning, get on with it and I have an exciting team to work with. Tomorrow will be an exciting day no matter what,” Kompany said.

“I can guarantee you one thing that tomorrow is day one of us being successful again. Tomorrow is day one of next season for me.

“I always look to the future at something exciting and tomorrow will bring exactly that feeling.

“The players are back in on Tuesday because we have a longer approach to the next game (against Nottingham Forest), so on Tuesday it is all out and we keep working on the next steps.

“I said last year we were club number 21 in England because everyone wanted to make the big statements when we had the trophy, but I said we’re club number 21.

“Now we’re 19 and hopefully we can remain 21 or 22 next season and the goal is to shoot out of the middle there where we are right now. Still, the club’s alive and is ambitious.”

Kompany did vent his frustration at a number of refereeing decisions that had gone against Burnley this season.

He added: “We of course have to improve but I said it before, I didn’t think the level of officials was good enough this year.

“I do trust that their intentions were right, that they were doing their best and want to be transparent, but it’s cost us this season, simple as that.”

The Clarets boss could have little frustration with the officials at Spurs though and instead his team had no answer to a trademark strong finish by the hosts.

After an action-packed start in N17, Bruun Larsen put Burnley ahead when he latched onto Sander Berge’s pass and drilled in for his seventh goal of the campaign.

Tottenham levelled seven minutes later when Porro received Brennan Johnson’s pass and dribbled into the visiting area unopposed before he smashed in for a fine equaliser.

Further chances occurred before and after half-time for both teams, but a tactical tweak by Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou helped make the difference.

He shifted traditional centre-back Van de Ven out to left-back and the Dutch defender cut inside before he curled beautifully into the bottom corner to earn Tottenham a deserved victory, which has kept alive their unlikely top-four hopes and halted a four-match losing streak.

Postecoglou said: “We probably should have won the game more comfortably.

“It was always going to be a tricky game for us because as much as you try and put it to one side, losing four games in a row, for the players there’s always a bit of stress and anxiety. And Burnley really had to go for it today.

“I thought Pedro’s goal before half-time was really important and the second half was better.

“Pleasing for the players and credit to them for not getting too wound up and just playing our football.”