Huddersfield 1-2 Burnley: Clarets beat 10-man hosts to move out of relegation zone
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Burnley have now won back-to-back games for the first time since September
Huddersfield manager David Wagner says he is excited to try and "do something that nobody has done before" after defeat against Burnley saw the Terriers stay bottom of the Premier League.
Ashley Barnes scored the winner for the Clarets in the second half which moved them out of the relegation zone.
Huddersfield had taken the lead through Steve Mounie's header in the 33rd minute but conceded Chris Wood's equaliser and had Christopher Schindler sent off within two minutes before half-time.
Schindler, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Wood, was shown a second yellow card for hauling down Dwight McNeil on the edge of the penalty area.
The German protested after being dismissed, seemingly unaware he had received the first caution earlier in the half.
That left the Terriers playing for 50 minutes with 10 men and they succumbed to a record eighth successive league defeat which leaves them eight points from safety on 10 points from 21 games.
No team has stayed up with as few points after 21 games.
"This is exactly what makes it so exciting," Wagner said.
"To be the first one and to beat the statistics. We have done this a few times in the last years.
"This is why we do this job, to be the first one who does something that nobody has done before.
"We know how difficult this task is. So difficult that nobody has done it before.
"This doesn't change that we have our plan and our schedule and what we have to do to the end of the season. We have to make ourselves independent of the statistics even if they are the truth."
Burnley also finished with 10 men after Robbie Brady was sent off for a two-footed tackle in the 90th minute but the three points take them to 16th, two points clear of 18th-placed Southampton, who drew 0-0 at Chelsea.
Bleak outlook for Terriers
Huddersfield have only won twice this season
Huddersfield's second successive defeat against a relegation rival follows their 1-0 loss at Fulham on Saturday and means they have lost eight league games in a row for the first time in the club's history.
They have also equalled another unwanted club record of four consecutive top-flight home defeats, a record that dates back to the 1934-35 season.
Manager David Wagner was backed by the club's owner in the match programme and his side started positively and were deserving of their goal.
It came through excellent play with Isaac Mbenza's fine cross from the left picking out Mounie perfectly for the striker to head in his first goal since April.
But in one minute and 46 seconds at the end of the first half the game changed.
Huddersfield were first guilty of allowing McNeil to get to the byeline and then Wood was sharpest in the box to apply his finish.
The home side were still reeling from the goal when Schindler was sent off.
Statistics say Terriers' are relegated - Wagner
Despite the confusion around his dismissal, the defender can have no complaints about either yellow card. Firstly, he badly mistimed a tackle to bring down Wood on 30 minutes and then felt he had to bring down McNeil as the 19-year-old charged towards the penalty area.
The winger had taken the ball around him and the Huddersfield player dragged his opponent to the ground despite other defenders being in position to cover.
"The sending off was the big decision that went against us, even if I thought it was the correct decision," Wagner said.
"We started the game well and took the lead. We take this result on the chin. We have our own plan and schedule of what we have to do.
"Statistically, 100% we are relegated because no team has survived with 10 points after 21 games but this doesn't change that we have something in our mind of what we will do."
Dyche and Burnley turning a corner?
Wood's goal was his fifth of the season
In contrast, the win for Burnley is their second in a row - the first time they have achieved that feat since September.
They were not as impressive as in the win over West Ham on Saturday but battled hard and showed patience to break down the 10 men of Huddersfield in the second half.
Sean Dyche's side could have gone ahead earlier in the half but Wood missed a good chance at a corner and Johann Gudmundsson had a shot saved at the end of a counter-attack.
In the end their goal came from a lovely move that involved Gudmundsson, Wood and Westwood in the build-up.
Burnley belief is growing again - Dyche
Burnley had been in the relegation zone after their past three games but now move clear of the bottom three and also draw level on points with Newcastle and Cardiff, who sit either side of them in the table.
"We had calmness and the belief is growing again in what we do," Dyche said.
"We scored a really good goal and then the sending off changes the feel of the game. Then it is difficult. It is a game of patience and believing we will break them down and we did.
"We stayed focused, shifting the ball and eventually scored with a really fine move."
Burnley next league game is at home to 19th-placed Fulham and a win could see them put distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Man of the match - Dwight McNeil (Burnley)
On his third league start, Dwight McNeil set up Wood for Burnley's first goal and produced a dangerous run which resulted in Schindler's red card
Barnes' good form - the best stats
Before this match, Burnley had lost all 12 Premier League games this season in which they had conceded the first goal of the match.
Since the start of last season, only Leicester City (nine) have received more Premier League red cards than Huddersfield Town (six - level with Watford).
Chris Wood's leveller for Burnley was his 100th goal in English league football - 14 in the Premier League, 78 in Championship and eight in League One.
Huddersfield striker Steve Mounie scored his first Premier League goal of the season, with his 35th shot in the campaign.
Burnley's Ashley Barnes has been involved in three goals in his past four Premier League games (two goals, one assist), more than in his previous 18 combined (two goals).
What's next?
Both teams are in FA Cup third-round action this weekend.
Huddersfield travel to play Bristol City on Saturday at 17:30 GMT. Burnley host Barnsley earlier on Saturday at 12:30.
The Terriers' next league game comes against Cardiff while Burnley host Fulham (both 15:00 on 12 January).