Burnley 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday: Clarets reignite promotion push with display of clinical finishing

Scott Parker’s men re-ignited their promotion push with, on paper at least, a convincing 3-0 victory at Turf Moor thanks to goals from Marcus Edwards, Josh Brownhill, Connor Roberts and Manuel Benson.

The scoreline doesn’t tell the full story though, as for much of the game the Clarets were second best.

But somehow, thanks to a combination of poor finishing and excellent last-ditch defending, Burnley kept yet another clean sheet - their 12th on the bounce - to keep up the pressure on the Championship’s top two.

Parker’s side now find themselves two points adrift of Sheffield United, who take on leaders Leeds United in an intriguing top-of-the-table clash at Bramall Lane on Monday night.

The victory also means the Clarets are now unbeaten in their last 23 games in league and cup. They’ve still yet to taste defeat at Turf Moor this season.

Parker made two changes to the side that were held to a frustrating goalless draw against Preston in their last outing.

Marcus Edwards came in to make his first Burnley start after building up his fitness with three substitute appearances since his deadline day arrival. Lyle Foster was the man to make way.

Elsewhere, Lucas Pires came in at left-back for Bashir Humphreys, who was missing from the squad altogether.

Jordan Beyer, Aaron Ramsey, Luca Koleosho and Mike Tresor all remain sidelined.

As for the Owls, they made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 late on to Coventry City last weekend.

Burnley’s long run without conceding almost ended after just four minutes when Michael Ihiekwe flicked just wide from a corner. James Trafford was scrambling to get across but didn’t appear to be getting there.

A flat start from the hosts ought to have been punished when, on 16 minutes, Stuart Armstrong somehow turned wide of the post from barely six yards out after being left unmarked from Djeidi Gassama’s drilled cross.

The Clarets were then thankful to Maxime Esteve for providing a crucial block to deny Josh Windass as the Burnley goal continued to live a charmed life.

For all of the visitors’ good early play, Burnley almost snatched the lead in unusual fashion when debutant Edwards grazed the crossbar with an audacious chipped effort from the right flank.

While Wednesday’s out-of-possession work was nullifying the Clarets, Burnley’s build-up play was far too predictable and pedestrian.

They did improve slightly before the half-time break but they still weren’t making much headway, not until the 43rd minute anyway when, out of nowhere, they took the lead with a rare moment of real quality.

Unsurprisingly that moment came from Edwards, who had been the only real bright spark of a deeply underwhelming first-half display.

The winger, drifting in from the right, exchanged a one-two with Josh Cullen in the box, but Edwards still had plenty to do, twisting in and out of his marker before lifting the ball over James Beadle and into the back of the net.

If truth be told, it was a goal Burnley scarcely deserved. If anything, they were fortunate not to be two or three down at the interval. But it was the type of goal they had been craving all season, a moment of quality out of absolutely nothing.

A goal to the good, Burnley came out with a bit more intent at the start of the second-half. Nevertheless, it was the visitors who came closest to scoring as Connor Roberts threw himself in front of a Windass shot at the back post.

Somehow Burnley’s remarkable run without conceding remained intact when Maxime Esteve produced a goalline block to deny Armstrong after Roberts had been caught out down the right.

Parker, watching on from the stands as he served a touchline ban, made a double change on the hour mark, recognising something needed to change to avoid a comeback from the Owls.

One of the men to arrive, Josh Brownhill, produced an instant impact, scoring after just 48 seconds to finish off another superbly-worked move.

Josh Cullen, Edwards and Jaidon Anthony were all involved in the build-up and it was Anthony who put the ball on a plate for Brownhill to guide him from inside the six-yard box.

Down by two goals, despite being the better side, Wednesday now had free license to completely go for it, and were again denied a goal when Gassama’s back post header was kept out by the legs of Trafford.

A two-goal lead soon became three though as Roberts of all people got in on the act, tapping home from close range from another delightful Anthony cross.

The winger almost got in on the act himself when he cut inside from the left before curling just wide of the far post.

The home side were able to coast home for the remaining minutes, while Parker made all five changes allowing some of his starters the chance to get a rest.

Lyle Foster almost added the cherry on top of the cake when, in the final minute of normal time, he poked agonisingly wide of the upright after beating Beadle to a ball over the top.

A fourth did eventually arrive though when one of those substitutes, Manuel Benson, produced a thunderous strike cutting in from the left, not his usual right, to give the goalkeeper no chance.

TEAMS

Burnley: Trafford, Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires, Cullen, Laurent (Shelvey), Hannibal (Brownhill), Edwards (Sarmiento), Anthony (Benson), Flemming (Foster)

Subs not used: Hladky, Worrall, Sonne, Barnes

Sheff Wed: Beadle, Valery, Ihiekwe, Lowe, Johnson (Otegbayo), S. Charles, Bannan (Ingelsson), Armstrong (Cissoko), Windass (Hatsuse), Gassama, Smith (Ugbo)

Subs not used: P. Charles, Valentin, Chalobah, Paterson, Cissoko, Ugbo

Referee: Stephen Martin