Burnley 1, Newcastle United 0

Burnley ended a run of three-successive defeats as Chris Wood’s second half header settled a tight battle in tough conditions.
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Sean Dyche made three changes from the side which lost at Spurs, with Ashley Westwood back after missing three games, returning at the expense of Robbie Brady, while Ashley Barnes came in for Jay Rodriguez, and Phil Bardsley replaced Matt Lowton at right back.

Matej Vydra came onto the bench, with Ben Gibson withdrawn after the warm up.

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In a first half devoid of any quality, Newcastle skipper Andy Carroll climbed over Phil Bardsley to head a Christian Atsu cross wide, but caught Bardsley in the face with his arm doing so, with the right back fine to continue after treatment.

Martin Dubravka then took no risks, pushing away a 20-yard shot from Dwight McNeil that bounced up in front of him.

Burnley thought they might have had a penalty as Wood looked to get on the end of a McNeil cross at the near post, and the ball flicked off Paul Dummett’s arm.

It went to VAR, but wasn’t given. It looked harsh, albeit Dummett’s arm was raised and not strictly in a natural position.

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From McNeil’s corner, James Tarkowski headed wide at the far post.

At the other end, Isaac Hayden fired over from 30 yards, with Nick Pope nowhere near concerned.

And the half ended with Tarkowski nursing an ankle problem after twice being caught over the ball by Joelinton, the second incident seeing the Brazilian booked.

Tarkowski returned for the second half, but as the temperature dipped, both sides continued to struggle for a way through.

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Westwood floated a ball into the box which almost embarrassed Dubravka, bouncing just beyond the far post, but just before the hour mark the deadlock was broken.

Barnes flicked the ball round the corner, and though it looked like Fabian Schar had muscled out Wood, the Kiwi forced the centre back to give away a corner.

Westwood hung the ball over Dubravka to the far post, and Wood headed home for his seventh of the season.

Moments later, Carroll was a lucky man, as he only received a yellow card, after coming from some distance and catching Ben Mee with his elbow. Incredibly, the decision wasn’t upgraded to red.

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Burnley might have added a second midway through the half, as the impressive Jack Cork won the ball from Sean Longstaff and drove into the area, beating Schar, but his effort was saved by Dubravka, the rebound falling agonisingly behind Barnes.

Newcastle struggled to respond, though Joelinton hammered a volley just wide of the angle from a clearing header from Tarkowski.

However, Wood then headed wide of the near post after superb control and another devastating cross from McNeil.

Newcastle substitute Dwight Gayle somehow poked wide at the near post after Joelinton’s blatant foul on Erik Pieters was allowed to go unpunished, and that proved the visitors’ last opportunity as Burnley held on.