Burnley 1-1 Leeds United
A clash of styles at Turf Moor as Sean Dyche and Burnley hosted Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds in the Premier League.
Lancashire versus Yorkshire urged on by two of English football’s traditional fan bases.
There were plenty of Premier League highlights to enjoy in a feisty, open encounter and, in the end, it was about right that the spoils were shared.
Indeed, if it had been a film, there was an element of Scrooge as the ghost of ‘Christmas past’ came back to haunt Leeds before the man who is their very own ‘Christmas present’ drew them level.
Highlights of the game
Both sides had gained their first victories of the season in midweek, in the League Cup.
Leeds saw off lower league Crewe, while Burnley gained a morale-boosting success at fellow Premier League side Newcastle – albeit a game in which they were on the back foot but held out before triumphing in a penalty shoot-out.
Of course, both teams were chasing the first league victory of the campaign. Leeds have been on the receiving end of an opening weekend thumping before welcoming back midfielder Kalvin Phillips, starting his first match since the Euro 2020 final for England, to draw with Everton last weekend.
They made two changes from that game with both Junior Firpo and Mateusz Klich dropping out, replaced by Diego Llorente and Rodrigo.
Burnley, meanwhile, opted for just one change from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool with Ashley Westwood back from injury to replace Jack Cork in midfield.
Bidding to halt a run of five successive Premier League losses spanning the end of last season and the start of the new campaign, following a largely fruitless summer in the transfer market, the focus was very much on Dyche who named Aaron Lennon – who rejoined the Clarets in midweek – among the substitutes.
Reports suggested the Burnley boss is also close to bringing Maxwel Cornet to the club from Lyon, however the disappointment among fans will be clear if promising winger Dwight McNeil leaves for Aston Villa with suggestions the Midlanders are favourites to sign the England Under-21 international.
If that becomes a reality, the SBOTOP’s Premier League betting odds on Burnley’s survival will surely only widen.
Once the game started it was lively and end-to-end.
Newly called-up by England, Patrick Bamford was a danger early on for the visitors, who won here 4-0 towards the end of last term.
The home side arguably should have been a penalty after defenders tangled with ex-Leeds man Chris Wood in the box, while team-mate Johann Gudmundsson bent a shot narrowly wide.
At the other end Phillips dissected the Burnley defence only for Bamford’s first touch to prove too heavy.
As the half drew to a close, the Clarets twice went close as goalkeeper Illan Meslier palmed behind Ashley Barnes drive and then, on the stroke of half-time, Bamford headed a corner onto his own post.
Despite a fair few chances, efforts on target had been virtually non-existent until just past the hour mark when Leeds struggled to clear and Matt Lowton’s shot was flicked in from close range by the predatory Wood against his former team.
The relief amongst the home faithful was clear. Here was a team which had scored just 15 goals in its last 20 top flight home matches and under threat of losing six top-flight matches in a row for the first time since 1895.
Wood’s goal did appear to be enough, that is until four minutes from time when the dangerous Raphinha refused to give up and drove into the box where the ball was worked to Jamie Shackleton whose drive was turned in by the alert Bamford.
A tale of two strikers, a tale of two counties, a point apiece.
Key statistics
Wood’s opener was the 30,000th goal ever scored in the Premier League. He has scored seven and assisted three of Burnley’s last 13 goals in the top tier.
Burnley’s last top-flight win over Leeds was a 2-1 victory at Turf Moor in 1974.
They have now gone a club-record 12 successive home league games without a win (drawn six, lost six).
After winning 10 and losing 10 of their 20 Premier League away games, this was a first away draw for Leeds under Bielsa.
What’s next?
After the international break Burnley travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton on Monday, September 13 and then host Arsenal five days later.
Leeds, meanwhile, entertain Liverpool swiftly followed by a trip to Tyneside and Steve Bruce’s Newcastle.
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