No magic wand: Vincent Kompany assesses Burnley's early season defensive woes

Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Chelsea means the Clarets have now shipped 20 goals in eight games following their return to the Premier League. Sixteen of those have come in their five home games, which have all ended in defeat.

Only bottom side Sheffield United have conceded more goals so far this season in the Premier League with 22 – eight of those coming in one game against Newcastle United.

Having failed to keep a clean sheet so far this season, Kompany knows there’s plenty of work to be done on the training field.

“It’s something we constantly work on anyway,” he said.

“I keep saying it, for us we had a very solid foundation defensively last season, we had the best defence in the league but it’s a different level now. Everybody has to level up.

“I wish I could wave a magic wand but it’s just a lot of work on the training ground and getting the basics right.

“In games this season we’ve done it really well, but it’s been spells like 20 minutes where it happens. That’s our own mistake but we have to work on it.”

A big problem for Burnley so far this season, especially in games at home, has been how quickly they’ve been taken out of games.

Having led against Chelsea through Wilson Odobert’s opener, Kompany’s men shipped four goals in the space of just 32 minutes to lose comfortably.

“It’s extremely difficult [to wrestle back that momentum], especially against teams like this where you need a bit of luck and you need to take your chances,” Kompany said.

“At the moment it doesn’t seem like it’s been that way for us in these types of games.

“You say ‘okay, can you go and have a performance?’ But we’ve had performances, that’s not been the issue, it’s just a different calibre of player. I’ve played with a couple of them myself so I know what they can do to teams.”