HEAD bowed and shirt off, Danny Ings trudged towards the touchline at full time like a man with all the frustrations of the world on his shoulders.

His partnership with Sam Vokes is yet to produce a Premier League goal, and time is running out.

Last season, the understanding between Vokes and Ings was telepathic, their sensational scoring record the biggest factor in Burnley’s promotion.

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But four months since Vokes’ return, the Welshman is still waiting for his first Premier League goal, while Ings has not scored with his strike partner on the pitch.

George Boyd’s stunner against Manchester City has been Burnley’s only goal in their last seven matches - albeit seven very difficult matches - and the drop is starting to loom ever larger.

The circumstances on Saturday were not conducive to a goal spree, it has to be said.

Ashley Barnes’ first half dismissal for two rash lunges - a red card that Chelsea supporters made the most of on social media - left the Clarets fighting an uphill battle.

Burnley have experimented with playing Barnes, Ings and Vokes in the same team in recent weeks, but it has not produced the goals they wanted.

With Barnes a willing but unnatural left winger, even in the first half at Goodison Park the Clarets were effectively being overrun five against three in midfield.

Perhaps understandably after such a serious injury, Vokes has not yet found his best form and he was replaced on the hour mark on Saturday by Lukas Jutkiewicz.

The telepathy and spark between Vokes and Ings is yet to be rekindled, and it surely must be in the remaining five games if Burnley are to get the wins they need. The five they currently have will be some way short.

Ings’ last goal was at Old Trafford more than two months ago, his free header late on at Goodison a missed opportunity to rescue the 10-man Clarets.

That Everton were not down to 10 men too was perplexing, given Kevin Mirallas’ horror tackle on George Boyd.

It was surely worse than the Barnes challenge with Nemanja Matic at Chelsea that became an international incident - even if Sean Dyche politely declined to compare the two after this match.

If Barnes had possession at Stamford Bridge, Mirallas had no such excuse - jumping in from a distance with his studs showing and catching Boyd on the shin. The Burnley player’s yelp of pain was clearly audible.

In fairness to the pundits who rounded on Barnes two months ago, most were quick to condemn Mirallas’ tackle too. Chris Sutton called it ‘a coward’s challenge’ and ‘a leg breaker’.

But Burnley dropped back to the bottom of the table for the first time since their only away win of the season at Stoke in November. For all their battling qualities, a lack of wins and a lack of goals is costing them.

With Barnes suspended, Vokes and Ings will surely link up again on Saturday.

It was Leicester City at home a season ago when the partnership was put on hold by Vokes’ cruciate knee ligament injury.

If the Clarets are to survive, it must be Leicester City at home when they start to fire once more.