Premier League
BurnleyBurnley2SwanseaSwansea City0

Burnley 2-0 Swansea City

By Matthew HenryBBC Sport
Jack Cork scores for Burnley
Jack Cork's goal was his first in the league for Burnley since his summer move

Burnley showed they "can find different ways to win", according to manager Sean Dyche as they moved to within a point of the Premier League top four with an impressive victory over Swansea.

The hosts took the lead in the 29th minute when Jack Cork headed home in the six-yard box to finish an excellent move against the club he left in July.

Ashley Barnes then doubled the lead 11 minutes later, smashing in off the left post from 25 yards.

Barnes had earlier gone close but his back-post header was saved by Lukasz Fabianski from close range.

Swansea improved in the second half, having been thoroughly outplayed before the break, but did not have a shot on target until the 95th minute.

"The first goal came from our keeper working our way down the field to score," Dyche said. "The second one was from a great press.

"We played pockets of fantastic football to see the game through."

The Swans have now lost four consecutive league games while Burnley continue their best start to a season since since 1973-74 and have won three consecutive top-flight games for the first time since 1975.

They remain seventh in the table but are just one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham and level on points with Arsenal and Liverpool, who both won on Saturday.

Burnley resolute yet stylish

Dyche delighted with Swansea performance

It is 27 days since Everton sacked manager Ronald Koeman and Dyche has been heavily linked with the vacant role.

Dyche bristled with frustrationexternal-link before the game when asked again about the situation, but his side showed no sign of distraction as they put in a typically resolute performance.

The Clarets are often criticised for their playing style, but Cork's opener was the result of a fine flowing move from the hosts.

The midfielder, given his first England cap against Germany last Friday, started the move by winning the ball in midfield before feeding it to Barnes who passed wide to Robbie Brady.

Premier League table from 3rd to 8th. Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Burnley

Cork carried on his run and when Brady produced a pin-point cross he did not miss from close range.

The second period saw Burnley sit back and protect their lead and they did so impressively with goalkeeper Nick Pope not having to make a save until Wilfried Bony's header in stoppage time.

The defensive attitude of Dyche's side was perfectly summed up when, in quick succession, Matt Lowton twice threw himself in front of the ball, resulting in loud cheers from the home fans.

"My way of managing is giving the best way to win and it's a very long season but I'm pleased with the start," Dyche said.

Goal shy Swans in trouble

Burnley 2-0 Swansea: We need to break cycle - Paul Clement

If Burnley's start to the season has been impressive, Swansea's has been anything but as they equalled their longest losing streak in the Premier League.

Paul Clement's side remain in the bottom three - 19th and two points from safety - and have lost six of their past seven games.

They improved going forward following the introduction of Bony at half-time and although they had 13 shots, few could be regarded as clear-cut chances.

The Swans were also disorganised at the back which was summed up when a long goal-kick from Burnley's Pope made its way to Jeff Hendrick in behind defence before Fabianski rushed out to save.

"We had a bright start but when we conceded the first goal it affected our confidence," Clement said. "Our confidence is clearly on a downward spiral.

"Burnley are very good at making you make errors and capitalising on them.

"As a side, we are playing under our potential and I have to find a way to break this cycle.

"We have to find a way to grind out a win and get the best out of our players."

The Welsh club's problems were further compounded when top scorer Tammy Abraham left the field on a stretcher in the second half.

The England striker seemed to be struggling with a back injury and had been treated for the issue earlier in the half before eventually being withdrawn.

Man of the match - Ashley Barnes

Ashley Barnes
Ashley Barnes was given a start after Burnley's top scorer Chris Wood was absent through injury and he produced a tireless performance, topped with a spectacular first goal since April

Barnes ends barren run - the best stats

  • Swansea have failed to score in seven of their past 11 away games in the Premier League
  • Jack Cork, who scored today against his former side, ended a run of 43 Premier League appearances without a goal
  • Ashley Barnes scored his first Premier League goal at Turf Moor since New Year's Eve 2016, ending a run of 13 Premier League games without a goal on home soil
  • Jeff Hendrick has had a hand in three goals in nine Premier League games this season (two goals, one assist) - the same total he registered in 32 appearances in 2016-17

What's next?

Few would have expected Burnley and Arsenal to be separated by only goal difference at this stage of the season, and the two sides will meet at Turf Moor on Sunday (14:00 GMT).

Swansea return to the Liberty Stadium for their next game as they look to end their losing run when they play Bournemouth on Saturday (15:00).

Line-ups

Burnley

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 29Pope
  • 2Lowton
  • 5Tarkowski
  • 6Mee
  • 23WardBooked at 17mins
  • 17Berg Gudmundsson
  • 16Defour
  • 4Cork
  • 12Brady
  • 13HendrickSubstituted forVokesat 80'minutes
  • 10Barnes

Substitutes

  • 3Taylor
  • 9Vokes
  • 18Westwood
  • 21Wells
  • 22Lindegaard
  • 28Long
  • 37Arfield

Swansea

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Fabianski
  • 26Naughton
  • 33Fernandez
  • 6Mawson
  • 16Olsson
  • 8FerSubstituted forKi Sung-yuengat 70'minutes
  • 17Clucas
  • 35Renato Sanches
  • 12DyerBooked at 90mins
  • 10AbrahamSubstituted forNarsinghat 82'minutes
  • 18J AyewSubstituted forBonyat 45'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Bony
  • 4Ki Sung-yueng
  • 5van der Hoorn
  • 11Narsingh
  • 13Nordfeldt
  • 14Carroll
  • 15Routledge
Referee:
Martin Atkinson
Attendance:
18,895

Match Stats

Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamSwansea
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home17
Away14
Shots on Target
Home7
Away1
Corners
Home8
Away6
Fouls
Home12
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Burnley 2, Swansea City 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Burnley 2, Swansea City 0.

  3. Booking

    Nathan Dyer (Swansea City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Nathan Dyer (Swansea City).

  5. Post update

    Jack Cork (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  6. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  7. Post update

    Delay in match James Tarkowski (Burnley) because of an injury.

  8. Post update

    Attempt saved. Wilfried Bony (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Martin Olsson with a cross.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Wilfried Bony (Swansea City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Luciano Narsingh with a cross.

  11. Post update

    Hand ball by Ashley Barnes (Burnley).

  12. Post update

    Corner, Swansea City. Conceded by James Tarkowski.

  13. Post update

    Renato Sanches (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Steven Defour (Burnley).

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Sam Vokes (Burnley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Barnes.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Burnley. Sam Vokes tries a through ball, but James Tarkowski is caught offside.

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Sam Vokes (Burnley) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Robbie Brady with a cross.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Martin Olsson.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Kyle Naughton.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Swansea City. Luciano Narsingh replaces Tammy Abraham because of an injury.

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