Although Vincent Kompany has stated that Burnley has had a “tough relationship” with referees this season, he has declined to provide this as an explanation for his team’s difficulties.
With just 12 games left, the Clarets sit 11 points outside of safety. Their next game is at Turf Moor against Bournemouth.
After Josh Brownhill received a straight red card and Crystal Palace defeated them 3-0, Kompany’s team had to play with 10 men for more than an hour before the match.
Adam Wharton of Palace was also fortunate to escape being sent out after sliding into a challenge moments after receiving a booking.
When Vitinho fouled Matheus Franca, the hosts were also granted a penalty, and David Fofana’s late consolation was controversially disallowed.
Burnley was soundly defeated that day, regardless of the refereeing calls, therefore they have no qualms about the outcome.
Kompany maintains that there has been a distinct “trend” even if he doesn’t want to focus on the choices that have gone against him this season.
“The second yellow card, the penalty [against Palace], and so on and so forth.” However, he told Clarets+, “I don’t want this to come off as you’re making excuses for yourself.
“I believe it’s obvious to say that this season, our relationship with the officials has not been easy. However, we have shown them respect and allowed them to do their work. Ultimately, we haven’t comprehended on several instances.
“It’s been difficult to grasp a lot of important situations, whether it’s one instance where we’re right or one where we’re incorrect.
But it’s simply a seasonal tendency, so I don’t want to focus on this specific one. We only need to concentrate on the upcoming game and make sure the team is prepared to battle at this point.
According to a recent analysis, Burnley would now be two points higher in the league standings if VAR had not been implemented in the Premier League.
That would put them on 15 points instead of 11, eight points behind Nottingham Forest.
All of the decisions that have determined results this season have been taken into account when calculating the alternative rankings, along with the on-pitch referee’s judgment.