Burnley vs Brentford: The Clarets swatted the Bees early and often as they raced out to a 3-0 lead and eventually a 3-1 victory, their first of the season, at Turf Moor on Saturday.
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The victory sends Burnley into 17th place, outside the relegation zone (for the time being). Brentford, meanwhile, remain 12th and have lost three straight Premier League fixtures.
Burnley vs Brentford final score, stats, results
Final score: Burnley 3, Brentford 1
Goal scorers: Burnley (Wood 4', Lowton 32', Cornet 36'), Brentford (Ghoddos 79')
Shots: Burnley 15, Brentford 12
Shots on target: Burnley 6, Brentford 5
Possession: Burnley 41%, Brentford 59%
2 things we learned, Burnley vs Brentford
1. Keep it simple, stay in the Premier League: At their best, Burnley are a side that defends tough at one end and creates chances via set pieces and long, hopeful balls into the final third that any one of a few well-built targets can turn home with one touch. It’s simple, yet it’s effective against sides that lack the will to engage in a bruising battle, which wasn’t at all the case with Brentford before Saturday. Alas…
2. Simple, unforced mistakes by Brentford baffling: Through nine games, Brentford’s greatest strength in the Premier League had been the toughness with which they defended. That toughness was nowhere to be found on Saturday, as the Bees failed to perform the simplest of defensive duties (collecting/clearing the ball with a striker run in behind, marking dangerous aerial threats on crosses into the box — things of that nature). Just a terrible day at the office, or the start of a few struggles heading Brentford’s way? With injuries piling up for Thomas Frank’s side, it could be time for the latter, at last.
Man of the Match: Maxwel Cornet - Finally, Burnley have an incredibly exciting, bold and confident attacking threat to play alongside Chris Wood.
Burnley vs Brentford recap, highlights
Chris Wood punishes early Brentford mistake (goal video)
Ethan Pinnock misjudged either the flight or the bounce of the ball, and Wood wasted no time (or touches) while rifling it home from the edge of the penalty area first-time.
Maxwel Cornet goal ruled out for offside
Wood didn’t flick his header on to Cornet at the back post so much as he mishit an attempted effort on goal. Cornet was there to clean up, but the awkward timing and touch saw the Clarets denied a second.
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Matthew Lowton heads home at the back post for 2-0 (goal video)
Charlie Taylor whipped the cross into the box, and no one in a yellow shirt seemed to notice. Dangerous when the ball is headed for the six-yard box.
Maxwel Cornet strikes from outside the box for 3-0 (goal video)
Life in the Premier League wasn’t always going to be so sweet for Brentford, but who thought that Burnley would be the first side to give them a thorough battering?
