Burnley 1 Albion 1

It was not clear whether the league table is keeping Roberto De Zerbi awake at night.

Or whether he reads it to send himself back to sleep.

Either way, the stuff of nightmares for opposing goalkeeper Aro Muric was not enough to give the Albion head coach a restful night after a pretty average spectacle in the East Lancs wind and rain.

De Zerbi spoke on Friday about how this season has not panned out as he had hoped, planned and, yes, dreamed.

It feels like an uphill battle but at least Muric’s mad moment gave his side a rope to grab after an error of their own had handed Burnley the lead.

That Albion did not go on to win the game – or last give it a good shot – was a source of irritation for their fans behind Muric’s goal.

But a point each was a fair result, if not the outcome either side needed.

De Zerbi said afterwards his team did not deserve to win or lose.

He was right when he added that they made most of the running after negotiating a slow start.

At the same time, Burnley had the better chances in both halves and were guilty of giving away the worst goal so they could also point to an opportunity missed.

Although stand-in boss Craig Bellamy worked hard to be positive and cheerful in his post-match press conference, that own goal must have been a hammer blow to his side.

De Zerbi was rather less upbeat as he said to the same media room at Turf Moor: “I want to tell you one secret.

“During the night when I can’t sleep, I study the table and we are fifth position in goals conceded, seventh or eighth in goal scored but we are the team who had most draws.

“I think it is different playing with (Kaoru) Mitoma and (Solly) March to playing without Mitoma and March.

"We have a lot of young attackers, very good players but they can become great players like Mitoma and March.

“This season we suffer and we are paying a big price because we are not scoring what we must.

“Last season our style was with four attackers but two full-backs and this season we had to change tactical disposition, playing a lot of times with three at the back.

“We had a lot of problems.”

Pervis Estupinan, such an important part of that gameplan last season and early this term, limped off early here after clutching his ankle.

Igor replaced him and had a good game in his own right but he is not a genuine left-back in a four and, on the right, Joel Veltman is not a wing-back, so it changes the dynamic of the team.

Joao Pedro’s return to the XI was welcome and he was quite lively before suffering cramp.

Jakub Moder had perhaps his best game yet in that attack-minded midfield role and Carlos Baleba was more progressive than has been the case.

But it was the latter’s short back pass which gifted Burnley the chance to seemingly put themselves on course for three points as Josh Brownhill charged down Bart Verbruggen’s clearance.

That seemed a fittingly untidy way to settle the contest but it was to get worse.

James Trafford denied Albion a win when Burnley came to the Amex this season.

His fine saves, including a very late stunner to tip over from Mitoma, secured a 1-1 draw.

An equally jaw-dropping moment by Muric, the man who has replaced him, ensured a repeat scoreline as he let a Sander Berge pass under his foot.

The way Albion did not go on to really push for a winner from that point betrayed a lack of confidence in the final third.

Muric had earlier made a fine save from Moder’s first-half free-kick and tipped a Pascal Gross shot over the bar.

Joao Pedro headed Gross’s cross wide in the first half and was off target from a similar combination at a second-half corner.

Gross saw a shot deflect narrowly wide with the keeper wrong-footed.

But Burnley could point to the best chances in either half.

Wilson Odobert, who scored at the Amex and looks like an Albion-type player, set up first-half openings which were wasted by Jacob Bruun Larsen and David Datro Fofana.

Fofana powered a header wide in he second period when some home fans were already cheering a goal.

No one was smiling much by the end, though.

As points slipped away and the rain hammered down, players and fans on both sides seemed pretty miserable.

The outcome probably means Albion supporters will be booking neither flights across the Channel nor trains to Burnley Manchester Road next season.

So no need to lose sleep over travel plans but plenty for De Zerbi to think over when he can’t sleep.

Burnley: Muric; Vitinho (Taylor 46), Ekdal (Brownhill 67), Esteve, Assignon; Foster, Cullen, Berge, Bruun Larsen (Tresor 86); Odobert, Fofana (Rodriguez 62). Subs: Trafford, Taylor, Gudmondson, Brownhill, Rodriguez, Manuel, Amdouni, Tresor, Massengo.

Goal: Brownhill 74.

Yellow card: Cullen 28 Albion: Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan (Igor 13); Gross, Baleba; Adingra (Lallana 77), Moder (Ansu Fati 77), Joao Pedro (O’Mahony 89); Welbeck (Buonanotte 77). Subs: Steele, Igor Barco, Offiah, Lallana, Ansu Fati, Buonanotte, O’Mahony, Peupion.

Goal: Muric OG 79.

Yellow card: Veltman 90+, O’Mahony 90+7.

Referee: Simon Hooper.