Dara O'Shea and Nathan Tella send messages to CJ Egan Riley after Burnley flashpoint | OneFootball

Teammates past and present took to Instagram to laud CJ Egan-Riley's first career goal

CJ Egan-Riley was on target with his first professional goal in midweek, putting the cherry on top as Burnley beat Coventry City 2-0 at Turf Moor to boost their automatic promotion hopes.

Jeremy Sarmiento got the Clarets' first on Tuesday night to help them on their way, before Egan-Riley popped up with a fortuitous strike to ensure there was no nervy ending.

Egan-Riley had never scored a career goal before Tuesday night, and although he admitted he "did not mean" his landmark goal, as his cross dropped in at the far post, his celebration showed just how much it meant.

As his cross dropped into the back of the Coventry net, Egan-Riley wheeled away in celebration like a kid who'd just scored the decisive goal on the school playground.

Boss Scott Parker also expressed his delight after the game, claiming that the Manchester City academy graduate has "been incredible since he came in" and fully deserved his goal.

Teammates past and present agreed too, as a raft of players took to Instagram to congratulate him on his maiden career goal.

Nathan Tella hailed the "goalscoring centre back"

Nathan Tella broke many a heart in Burnley when he never re-signed for the club after promotion in 2022/23, but he was quick to express his congratulations to Egan-Riley after the game.

The Bayer Leverkusen man commented "Hear my man! Goalscoring CB" on Egan-Riley's Instagram post.

Elsewhere, Dara O'Shea, who left Turf Moor over the summer, said "Yes you! Deserve that", with the most ironic part of O'Shea's move being that Egan-Riley has proved to be his successor, as his departure was the chance he was waiting for.

Current teammates, Sarmiento, Hannibal, James Trafford, Luca Koleosho, Owen Dodgson, Jay Rodriguez, Jaidon Anthony, Maxime Esteve and Aaron Ramsey all also heaped praise on him in the comment section.

Such praise would suggest Egan-Riley is a key component of the dressing room, which is admittedly something of a surprise considering he's spent most of his Turf Moor career either on the bench or out on loan.

Egan-Riley has stepped up to take his chance

Since being handed the opportunity to come into the side this season, Egan-Riley has never looked back.

Despite playing outside of his natural position and being asked to fill in at centre-back, Egan-Riley has barely put a foot wrong this season, with his on the ball attributes making him the perfect modern-day central defender.

Signed by Vincent Kompany back in 2022 from Manchester City, he was largely utilised as a holding midfielder by Kompany, which in time, is where many Burnley fans envisage Egan-Riley will play at some point in his career.

But for now, he's flying at the heart of defence alongside Maxime Esteve, and has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet, something most Clarets fans would never have imagined at the start of the season.

He's had to bide his time for his chance, but the fact he's stayed at Turf Moor and fought for that chance is testament to his character, and Parker himself admitted it gives him great satisfaction to be the manager who finally gave him a chance.