Lancashire

Natalie Bromley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

For 45 minutes on Saturday, football felt normal again. I remembered what it felt like to properly celebrate a goal; I remembered the anticipation of winning a game; I felt passionate about a team and proud of a performance.

It was inevitable, really, that we would concede the equaliser - asking a defence that is poor at defending to drop deep and protect a lead was never going to end well. It is those kinds of decisions that have had me shaking my head in frustration at Scott Parker this season.

And I do question the point of playing five at the back if you are going to allow yourself to concede that many shots on your own goal.

But given that these moments have been few and far between this season, today we celebrate the positives. We were better than Tottenham Hotspur in that second half. We created chances and picked up the loose balls in midfield. We made good substitutions. And every one of the players put a shift in. When relegation is inevitably confirmed this season, I want to be able to say that we got that in every game from now on.

We are also in a weird place. We have just played three powerhouses from the Premier League – Manchester United and Spurs at Turf Moor, Liverpool away – and have drawn all three. On paper, three very impressive results.

But this has come far too late in the season to have any meaningful impact, as the Clarets find themselves significantly behind the survival line. We are told that we are learning and developing as a club and a team.

My counter to that would be that we have spent ten of the last 17 seasons in the topflight - should we not be closer to a prolonged spell in the Premier League by now?

Find more from Natalie Bromley at No Nay Never podcast, external

Image source, Getty Images

Preston chairman Ian Penrose has confirmed the club are in talks with potential investors.

Penrose took over as chairman in October after owner Craig Hemmings stepped down.

Sky News reported on Saturday, external that US-born Saudi businessman Amr Zedan had held discussions about investing in the Championship club.

The club said since this story was published, the club's owners and board had been subjected to abuse on social media.

"We have commenced discussions with a number of parties from around the world who have expressed an interest in acquiring Preston North End," Penrose told the club website, external.

"This process is in its early stages and is ongoing as we continue to receive new approaches.

"I can confirm that we have had discussions with Mr Zedan, who we respect highly.

"Mr Zedan is one of a number of successful individuals or organisations that have made enquiries about the club. Specific comments on any approach are inappropriate at this stage."

The Lilywhites lost 4-0 at second-placed Middlesbrough on Saturday to drop down to ninth place.

They have not played in the top flight of English football since 1961.

Penrose added: "While such a transaction can take months to conclude and there is no certainty that a successful outcome will be achieved, it is the board's intention to conclude these negotiations at the earliest opportunity.

"It is of utmost importance that any future owner of Preston North End is the right fit for the football club in order to maximise the club's potential and the ambitions of our fans, stakeholders and owners."

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

If Burnley are going to make a managerial change they need to make it now otherwise you get to a point where it is pointless and you're not going to have enough time to turn things around.

I think that would be harsh on Scott Parker having got them up into the Premier League last season, but if we look at the Premier League table they are too far adrift to mount any serious attempts at staying up.

That's just the lay of the land in the Premier League. It's always going to be difficult for those teams coming up to stay up - history tells us that.

Leeds have been on a great run but with just one defeat and a loss of confidence they can easily be sucked back in.

It would be incredibly harsh for Burnley to get rid of Parker now but stranger things have happened.

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Burnley and Tottenham.

Here are some of your comments:

Burnley fans

Graham: Almost....but not quite! The story of Burnley's season so far. Improved performance again, and a display of what Burnley fans expect; effort; courage; resilience. In the end, though, just not enough to get over the line. We're being cut adrift, and it's now going to take more than a little luck to survive.

Martin: We played well in fits and starts. Not good enough for the Premier League and too good for the Championship, but that's where we are heading. Could this be another team rebuild or can we keep most of the squad together? I'm still not sure about Scott Parker, is he good enough? We really needed better strikers from the beginning of the season.

John: Burnley just blew their chance of going above West Ham next week. Three points from this game would have been massive.

Steve: So frustrating watching Burnley this season. There are bouts of great tackling and closing down, but too many times we give the ball away with poor passes or dwell on the ball and lose possession. Armando Broja has worked hard but he had three through balls and didn't covert one! We will keep plugging away but we are in this grey place of being too good for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League.

Tottenham fans

Ray: The team on the pitch was well qualified to beat Burnley. Our lack of class and cutting edge up front is a massive problem. This is why Cristian Romero takes it upon himself to act as a striker at times. Many teams in the league have injuries so we can't keep hiding behind this excuse. We need to concentrate more.

Kevin: Micky van de Ven and Romero will get the plaudits for scoring goals, however, they need to start defending. Both goals were completely avoidable with a little communication. There is not a true leader in that team. Tactically I've noticed all season that we don't get players out wide to stop crosses, so that has to be on Thomas Frank. Teams with similar injury issues either have the quality to compete, or the guts to dig in, and this team has neither.

Barry: We should look at the players as well as Frank. He picked eight of the players that played against Borussia Dortmund and they looked like chalk and cheese. Why they can't play two consecutive matches well is a question that needs answering.

Raj: The players battled hard and are clearly trying, as is Frank, but it clearly isn't working. No clear strategy or vision of how to play in the final third which is why goals are lacking and games are not won. The team look lost once they get into the opposition box. Sadly, Frank needs to go as he's in over his head.