Here’s Aaron Bower’s report from Turf Moor.
The Premier League table may be embryonic - a word used only in football? - but it doesn’t make particularly health reading for Burnley or Leeds.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | West Ham | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 5 | Everton | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 6 | Man City | 3 | 9 | 6 |
| 7 | Brighton | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Leicester | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 9 | Brentford | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 | Man Utd | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 12 | Watford | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 13 | Southampton | 3 | -2 | 2 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 3 | -3 | 2 |
| 15 | Leeds | 3 | -4 | 2 |
| 16 | Burnley | 3 | -3 | 1 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 3 | -4 | 1 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 19 | Norwich | 3 | -9 | 0 |
| 20 | Arsenal | 3 | -9 | 0 |
Full-time: Burnley 1-1 Leeds
Honours even but an escape for Leeds and two points lost for Burnley. Two smart finishes, one from Chris Wood and another Patrick Bamford, both from close range. The first points of the season for Burnley but it should have been more. Leeds did not quite tick as we were used to last season.
90+2 min: Liam Cooper gets highest to the corner but heads wide.
90+1 min: Leeds force a corner in front of their fans. This time, Burnley get it away, but Charlie Taylor has to clear out a Struijk cross before Lowton knocks behind.
90 min: Aaron Lennon, full of beard these days, is booked for a foul on Stuart Dallas. Leeds push on for a winner, as Shackleton drifts a cross over the Burnley box. Three minutes are added on.
89 min: The Leeds fans can be heard now. Bamford’s goal lifting their spirits and vocal cords when all seemed lost.
87 min: Sean Dyche turned to assistant Ian Woan after that went in, and said some probably unrepeatable words. His defenders had seemed to have done the job, only for Leeds to finally exert enough pressure. Great finish by Bamford, too.
Goal! Burnley 1-1 Leeds (Bamford, 86)
Well well. Bamford pokes home after Raphina has a shot blocked by Mee, then Shackleton shoots and Bamford directs home.
Updated
85 min: Raphina attempts to cut in from the goal line, only for Charlie Taylor to slide in. The momentum keeps up, only for Tyler Roberts to overhit the ball. Sean Dyche growls at his players from the sidelines. He really really really wants this first win of the season.
83 min: Nick Pope, the Burnley goalkeeper, launches the ball long after a backpass from Mee, and does so with some comfort. The famed Leeds press has malfunctioned.
81 min: Yellow card for Leeds’ Struijk for a hefty clatter of Chris Wood, no mean feat in itself.
80 min: Leeds still yet to gain enough of a head of steam to get at that tough Burnley defence and their fans have been very quiet. They might well have gone a bit early on the pre-match bevs.
78 min: Burnley change: off goes Lancashire’s favourite Austrian, Ashley Barnes, on comes Matej Vydra.
76 min: Chris Wood’s posterior knocks Kalvin Phillips to the floor. The physical battles continue. That one was no contest.
74 min: Some mild panic in the Burnley area, but the ball is cleared away. Leeds, to be even-handed, are pushing on at last, and have time to find a way back into the game.
73 min: Leeds sub: off goes the ineffectual Rodrigo, and on comes Tyler Roberts.
71 min: Harrison has a ball charged down from the wing. Such supply lines have been cut off by Burnley’s battlers. When Bamford gets a brief glimpse of goal he is surrounded by defenders and has his shot blocked, and he is then crowded out when the ball falls loose.
69 min: Raphina plays a ball inside that is very easily cut out. It’s not just Leeds’ midfield that has gone off the boil; the entire team is not having much joy.
67 min: What can Leeds change? Ben Paul has an answer: “I think it might have something to do with having no midfielders.”
65 min: Leeds change: Jamie Shackleton comes on for Diego Llorente.
63 min: Burnley make a sub, too: on comes Aaron Lennon for Joey Gudmunsson.
62 min: That was the 30,000th goal since the Premier League began. There have been 29,999 since Brian Deane for Sheffield United against Manchester United in August 1992 though that one wasn’t too dissimilar.
Goal! Burnley 1-0 Leeds (Wood, 61)
It had been coming. McNeill, getting space now, cuts and turns and digs out a shot. It bounces wide. Burnley get a corner as the ball came of Struijk, and then Tarkowski’s header is cleared, then there’s a handball shout, then Lowton shoots and Wood deflects in.
Updated
59 min: The crowd scene when a corner played in a tableau of skulduggery of dirty deeds. Burnley pushing on again, Leeds having to cling on a little. McNeil cuts inside and Brownhill has a dig from distance. Burnley in the ascendancy, Leeds on the back foot.
57 min: Roars from the home crowd as Burnley force a corner. “Come on Burnley,” they sing. No show tunes for these lads. Ben Mee goes close from the corner but Llorente clears the danger, just about
55 min: The Leeds away support gets in full voice, though break their chorus when it briefly appears Raphina might get away from Ben Mee.
53 min: McNeil gets a glimmer of a chance for Burnley, but swings and misses. It would have had to be a worldie to score from there. Rodrigo is booked for a rather needless trip on Charlie Taylor. That’s five yellows so far, the second to Leeds.
52 min: Leeds fans, whatever case you may have with Ashley Barnes, and it’s a decent case, your team isn’t playing at all well. What’s gone wrong?
50 min: Anyway, on with the show. It’s still physical and meaty out there. Both teams putting it about to some tune.
48 min: Jack Amond gets in touch: “Not sure what game you’re watching - it’s midnight in Sydney where I am but you appear to be the one who’s asleep - Barnes should have been sent off for his assault on Dallas.”
Here’s what I said, Jack. “Then comes a clash after the ball had gone offside, with Barnes flying into Stuart Dallas. That looked nasty. Barnes is booked, and deservedly.”
I saw it, just saw it differently, and erred on the side of caution. “Assault” seems a bit much. On the subject of which, Barnes clatters into Kalvin Phillips and doesn’t get booked. A booking would have been harsh but Barnes must be on sudden death.
46 min: Sean Dyche strides determinedly across the field as Leeds’ players complete their final warmups and has a word in Ian Woan’s ear, cupping his mouth as he does. The battle of Turf Moore can resume.
Rick Harris writes in: “I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds it highly suspicious that in form Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood has been left out of the England squad for the imminent World Cup qualifiers, and Patrick Bamford who looks woefully out of form and hasn’t scored as yet this season is in. Likewise Harry ‘undroppable’ Kane is included having only just returned to the Spurs team after missing pre-season Foden was quickly rehabilitated after the training camp incident but Greenwood has been frozen out. What is going on?”
Half-time: Burnley 0-0 Leeds
Burnley may fancy they could have had a goal or two there. Leeds look far less switched on than last season, and have been jittery in defence and disjointed in attack. Burnley have been Burnley and that may be enough to get a first win of the season.
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45 min+1: The post is rattled, as Bamford heads down and off the woodwork. But it was his own goal. And then he gets clattered by a Ben Mee tackle that sends him flying. That may be bad news for the England squad and Bamford, who had waited so long for the call. Just a minute added on at the end of a half that got better.
44 min: Meslier saves Leeds bacon by bravely winning a tackle after an undercooked backpass.
43 min: Leeds keep the ball at the back, passing it around rather delicately compared to what came before. The ball makes its way forward and Bamford, who is getting more and and more into the game, misses the target.
41 min: Chris Wood heads the corner over. And off go Leeds. Bamford finds acres of space, and perhaps too much time in the Burnley box and can only shoot straight at Nick Pope. We have a game on our hands.
39 min: Bamford fails to control a Jack Harrison ball aimed into the centre. Then, Ashley Barnes attempts a snap shot that forces a corner. End to end...it’s better than it was.
38 min: Kalvin Philipps is booked for baulking Ashley Barnes to the floor. No Euro 2020 heroism is taken into account as Michael Oliver unsheaths his card.
37 min: Burnley resume their battering rams tactics but Leeds get it cleared and Mee has to clear behind. “We are Leeds” denotes the away fans have found their voices again. They soon go quiet again as it is cleared with ease.
Updated
35 min: A Leeds attack? Yes, and they should have scored. The ball is pumped long, and Rodrigo takes the ball down, Bamford slots in Raphina and the shot is near fish nor fowl. And misses. That’s perhaps the clearest opening so far.
Updated
33 min: Those Leeds fans have been quietened down. Their team has not started the season too well, give or take a few bright signs against Everton.
31 min: Chance! Wood plays in Gudmonsson, and he fails to keep his shot down. The Icelandic tyro knows he should have done better there.
30 min: Leeds attempt to weather what had become a heavy storm of Burnley muscle, with Wood and Barnes putting it about.
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27 min: Burnley have the ball in the net, though there had been a push on Luke Ayling by Ashley Barnes. Then comes a clash after the ball had gone offside, with Barnes flying into Stuart Dallas. That looked nasty. Barnes is booked, and deservedly.
25 min: The home roars go up as Burnley do their own form of pressing, and Ashley Barnes forces a foul.
23 min: Another corner, and Meslier clears it with a strong hand as he was falling backwards. Again, there’s carnage as the ball is pumped back in.
22 min: McNeil, who does not quite look himself, forces a corner. He’s not the speediest in any case but does seem somewhat restricted in his movements. There’s more aggro as Wood and Llorente clash in the box as the corner is taken.
20 min: Meslier claims the latest Burnley set piece with ease, and sets up a Leeds charge, and that results in Josh Brownhill getting a booking for bringing down a speeding Bamford.
18 min: McNeil makes his way back out for Burnley.
17 min: A break in play as Luke Ayling clatters into Dwight McNeil, and looks to have damaged the playmaker’s toe. A worry for Sean Dyche, who will be doubly annoyed his team did little with the set piece.
15 min: This is one for the purist of the purists. Leeds are pressing forward, meaning Burnley are playing even more long balls than normal to get out. Leeds meanwhile are up against an opponent that is staying deep, and thus are not moving the ball as quickly as they would like. It’s making for a constipated affair.
13 min: Bamford flashes a shot across goal when he looked offside. He actually wasn’t, and should have done rather better than that.
Updated
11 min: Rodrigo sents Raphina down the line but his ball into the middle is claimed by Nick Pope. A Burnley attack had broken down after Dwight McNeil was stopped in his tracks. Perhaps a good sign the creative players are getting on the ball.
9 min: It’s lively in the stands at least, with the away fans very loud and the home fans giving it a go too.
7 min: More argy bargy between Bamford and Tarkowski, who led with his forearm in climbing above the striker. That’s been the most exciting bit so far. Neither team looks “at it” in any way.
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6 min: An attempt at deftness from Chris Wood but he falls as he backheels the ball around Llorente. Such finesse has been in short supply so far.
5 min: Any football? Not much so far. The air is heavy with physical challenges, and balls played unsuccessfully down channels.
3 min: Bamford and Tarkowski tangle, and the new England man pulls off quite an impressive wrestling takedown of the defender before Michael Oliver, the referee, intervenes.
1 min: There are a mix of loud boos and applause for the taking of the knee at Burnley, which is regrettable, dunderheaded, and sadly predictable. The singing soon moves on Marching On Together from the Leeds fans. It’s sunny in Lancashire.
The teams take to the field at Turf Moor, as they have to do from the corner, one of the quirks of one of football’s grand old grounds, with cricket pitch next door, too.
Stat attack.
📊 Diego Llorente makes his 1st PL app of the season - since his 1st PL start on Jan 26, Leeds have conceded 11 goals in 14 PL games when he has started, but 16 goals in the 8 games he hasn’t started pic.twitter.com/Pg32Ue8MC2
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 29, 2021
📊 Burnley are looking to end a joint club record run of 11 home League games without a win
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 29, 2021
Aaron Lennon could make his 1st PL app for 17 months. His PL debut was in this month 18 years ago, as a 16-year-old sub for Leeds at Tottenham in Aug 2003 pic.twitter.com/pH6PDTk1OY
Done deal: Burnley hope he’s not a flake.
“#welcomecornet” is quite the hashtag.
Confirmed: Maxwel Cornet is our number 2️⃣0️⃣!#WelcomeCornet🍦 | #UTC pic.twitter.com/P7QnHC4KLE
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 29, 2021
Marcelo Bielsa spoke to Sky Sports.
Rodrigo and Llorente are two players at a very high level, with experience in the Spanish league. They’re going to be good players for us. We’ve had one not very good game and a better one. There were improvements against Everton, but not enough to win the game.
The mystery of Junior Firpo’s absence, rather like that of Mateusz Klich, is cleared up.
Get well soon to both of them.
Hello everyone, a few days ago I tested positive. After some tough days, both my family and I are well and still isolated. I won’t be able to help my team today but I will support you from home!#MOT 💙🤍💛 pic.twitter.com/dytBdbY8ZK
— Junior Firpo (@JuniorFirpo03) August 29, 2021
Sean Dyche speaks growls to Sky Sports.
We had a poor often spell against Brighton and they capitalised. At Anfield, I thought we played pretty well, to be honest. It’s about our performance today. Over a season, it’s about getting your performances right. [On Leeds]They’ve always got good energy, it’s been different start for them this season. We showed last season it’s a season’s work. We would like to get our first win.
Marcelo Bielsa said this about Burnley this week.
It’s a very difficult to team to face because they have a very clear and stabilised manner in which they play and normally to overcome them is difficult.
There was good news this week for Patrick Bamford, a call that did not come after time.
The last game between the teams at Turf Moor was barely three months ago, though was rather bad-tempered. Ezgjan Alioski, by the way, was cleared of any charge, and now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.
The referee, by the way, is Michael Oliver.
One change for Sean Dyche, as Ashley Westwood comes into midfield in place of Jack Cork.
Two changes for Leeds, as Firpo and Klich drop out, and Llorente and Rodrigo come in. Mateusz Klich’s absence is explained by this.
Mateusz Klich's latest Instagram story post. Positive Covid test. #lufc pic.twitter.com/mWeSL5uBTP
— Beren Cross (@BerenCross) August 29, 2021
Here are the teams
Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Gudmundsson, Brownhill, Westwood, McNeil, Wood, Barnes. Subs: Hennessey, Bardsley, Pieters, Collins, Thomas, Cork, Lennon, Vydra, Rodriguez.
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Cooper, Llorente, Struijk, Raphinha, Dallas, Phillips, Harrison, Rodrigo, Bamford. Subs: Klaesson, Forshaw, Roberts, Costa, Gelhardt, Cresswell, Summerville, McCarron, Shackleton.
Preamble
Turf Moor in August is distinctly more pleasant than Turf Moor in mid-winter and it may be ideal for Leeds, whose season has started a tad indifferently, with defensive problems in their 5-1 loss to Manchester United and a 2-2 home draw with Everton. Not that we can expect much in the way of a handbrake being put on by Marcelo Bielsa. That just isn’t the way he does things, is it? And he will doubtless recall last season when his team won 4-0. He won’t have to think back too hard, either as it was in May. Two late goals from Rodrigo capped off a fine win for Leeds, for whom Jack Harrison, with two goals and an assist, was outstanding. Leeds, for whom Patrick Bamford has been given a first England call-up, will be a similar line-up to last season, give or take Junior Firpo at left-back.
Not that Burnley will be much different, either. We all know the formula by now, and we know the players, too. Can it sustain another season? The signs at Anfield were reasonably positive, even if that ended in defeat, but losing to Brighton was less positive.
Still, there is something reassuring about watching two teams from who we know what we are going to get.
Kick-off 2pm UK time: join me.
