The English international became the fourth player in English topflight history to find the net in four successive games against former employers
Danny Ings’ goal for Southampton in Sunday’s 3-2 triumph over Burnley has made him the fourth player in Premier League history to score in four consecutive games against former clubs.
Other players to have achieved this noteworthy feat include Republic of Ireland’s Robbie Keane, England’s Jermain Defoe and Cote d’Ivoire’s Wilfried Bony.
With Chris Wood and Matej Vydra giving Sean Dyche’s team a two-goal lead at the St Mary’s Stadium, the Saints roared back to life to pick all three points at stake in the five-goal thriller.
First, Stuart Armstrong reduced the deficit in the 31st minute courtesy of an assist from Ings. In the goal-laden first half, the 28-year-old levelled matters for Ralph Hasenhuettl’s men.
With that, the England international joined the list of players who have found the net on four uninterrupted occasions against former employers.
Ings’ run began on July 19, 2020, when he scored once in Southampton’s 2-0 win at Bournemouth. He followed it up by scoring the Saints’ only goal in their 1-0 away defeat of Burnley on September 26, 20.
On January 4, 2021, he silenced another former team, Liverpool. His second-minute strike was all Hasenhuettl’s team needed to defeat Jurgen Klopp’s men 1-0.
His latest strike in the reverse fixture versus Burnley made it four goals in four games against a team he once represented.
Irishman Keane became the first player to achieve his mark in 2004 before Defoe matched that feat five years later. 32-year-old Bony joined the list in 2017 during his spells at Stoke City and Swansea City respectively.
“We didn’t start good enough, I think we knew that,” Ings told the club website after the game.
“Going two down, that triggered us that we needed to be better and from that moment I think we controlled the game for the most part until they were chasing at the end.
“We created a lot of chances today which has been quite tough in recent weeks. To get the win after the international break is huge and something we can build on.”
Southampton are 13th in the log after amassing 36 points from 30 games. They are guests of Chelsea-slaying West Bromwich Albion on April 12.
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