Burnley beat Leeds United to claim their second win of the season and move themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone.
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Goals in either half from French duo Lesley Ugochukwu and Loum Tchaouna handed Scott Parker’s side a crucial victory in this early season six-pointer.
Having lost five of their first seven games following a gruelling start to the campaign, the pressure was on Burnley to get some more points on the board.
That’s exactly what they did back at home at Turf Moor, where the Clarets have gained all seven of their points to date.
It sets up an enticing fixture away to bottom side Wolves next week, as Burnley go in search of back-to-back victories in the Premier League.
Parker’s men were good value for their victory, although it required two goals of real quality to take the win.
While Leeds dominated much of the possession, their only chances of the game came from Burnley mistakes - and the home side otherwise looked relatively comfortable keeping them at bay.
Loum Tchaouna celebrates scoring Burnley's second goal against Leeds United. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Loum Tchaouna celebrates scoring Burnley's second goal against Leeds United. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
There was an anxious spell midway through the second-half as Leeds came on strong, but Tchaouna relieved that pressure with a superb second from long range.
Burnley now move up to 17th, two points ahead of Nottingham Forest who dispensed with the services of Ange Postecoglou after just 39 days following their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.
Parker ditched the back five he’s utilised during the early part of the season in favour of a 4-3-3 system.
The Clarets have utilised a version of a 5-2-3 for all of their Premier League games so far this season, but to mixed results.
The system came under fire prior to the international break, where Burnley produced an underwhelming performance during their 2-1 defeat.
Lesley Ugochukwu came in for Josh Laurent as one of three changes to partner Josh Cullen and Florentino Luis in midfield, albeit playing in a slightly more advanced role.
Jacob Bruun Larsen replaced Loum Tchaouna on the wing, while Zian Flemming led the line for his first Premier League start in place of Lyle Foster, who missed out with a dead leg picked up while away with South Africa.
Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts and Zeki Amdouni all miss out through injury.
Hjalmar Ekdal returned to the bench, having been dropped from the squad at Villa Park during Burnley’s last outing.
As for Leeds, Daniel Farke made one change from their defeat to Tottenham, as Jack Harrison replaced the injured Noah Okafor.
After a fairly even start to proceedings, the first shot on target came from Burnley’s Jacob Bruun Larsen, who curled a 30-yard free-kick straight at Karl Darlow.
At the other end, meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin acrobatically scissor-kicked comfortably over the bar.
Burnley were the side on the front foot though and looked the more likely to make something happen, and that’s exactly what they did in the 19th minute when they took the lead.
Lesley Ugochukwu was the man to get it, scoring for the second game running with a neat header, but the goal owed everything to Kyle Walker’s ferociously delivered, pinpoint cross in from the right.
The Clarets weren’t satisfied to sit on their lead though, they hunted a second - as Josh Cullen almost found the run of Bruun Larsen after producing a tidy bit of footwork to work his way into the area.
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Leeds were struggling to create anything of real note, but Burnley transpired to almost gift them a leveller when Jaidon Anthony needlessly gave the ball away in his own half.
That created an overload on the right flank, leaving Brenden Aaronson in acres of space, but Martin Dubravka came to Burnley’s rescue with a crucial save to turn his shot onto the post.
The visitors ended the half the stronger, but were still finding it difficult to navigate a way through a structured and well-organised Burnley backline.
The visitors were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position just three or four yards outside the box on the stroke of half-time, but while Anton Stach’s delivery beat the wall, Dubravka was equal to it, beating it away to safety.
The start to the second-half was a fairly uneventful one, with nothing of real note happening until just before the hour mark, where Axel Tuanzebe was required to make an important clearance after Anthony was again guilty of giving the ball away in a poor area.
The Clarets were given another big warning a few moments later when Harrison was left completely unmarked at the back post from Sean Longstaff’s cross, only to send his volley into the turf and over the bar.
Burnley were forced into a first change of the game as Bruun Larsen was taken off as a precaution after receiving some medical attention, with Loum Tchaouna taking his place.
The home side had offered virtually nothing since the restart, seemingly opting to go for the suffer-ball approach, sitting deep and stifling Leeds’ attacking play.
Anxiety was soon beginning to set in among the Burnley faithful as the visitors continued to pile on the pressure, but that frustration soon disappeared when Parker’s side doubled their lead with a goal out of nowhere.
Substitute Tchaouna was the man to get it, picking out the top corner with a vicious and sublime long-range effort, giving Darlow no chance whatsoever. Walker was again heavily involved in the goal, breaking forward and racing clear from deep to get Burnley up the pitch.
Burnley returned to a back five for the final 15 minutes or so as Josh Laurent replaced Zian Flemming, leaving Tchaouna and Anthony to lead the line in attack.
Leeds inevitably threw men forward in a last-ditch attempt to get something out of the game, but Burnley managed the game well and saw out the remaining minutes with relative ease.
All that was left was to celebrate a second win of the season, both coming at home, where the Clarets have picked up all seven of their points so far this season.
TEAMS
Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman, Cullen, Florentino, Ugochukwu (Hannibal), Bruun Larsen (Tchaouna), Anthony (Barnes), Flemming (Laurent)
Subs not used: Weiss, Ekdal, Pires, Edwards, Broja
Leeds: Darlow, Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Ampadu (Tanaka), Longstaff, Stach (Piroe), Aaronson (Nmecha), Harrison (James), Calvert-Lewin
Subs not used: Perri, Justin, Bijol, Bornauw, Gruev
Referee: Tim Robinson
Attendance: 21,646
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