He tore his medial knee ligament in September 2009 and was kept him out of action for three months as he was forced to undergo surgery to correct the problem. He returned to fitness, and scored his first Premier League goal on 21 February in a 5–2 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park. Six days later he made his first league start since his return from injury, and scored Burnley's consolation goal in a 2–1 defeat to Portsmouth at Turf Moor after lobbing England international goalkeeper David James. He scored in a 4–1 victory over Hull City at the KC Stadium on 10 April, and scored his fourth and final goal of the campaign in a 4–2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on 9 May. Burnley were relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season, along with Hull City and Portsmouth, after finishing five points short of safety.