Verdict: Exquisite Burnley defy goal-shy season to ruthlessly put Plymouth Argyle to the sword
Having scored one goal in their last four games leading into this encounter, it’s fair to say no-one saw such a one-sided scoreline coming.
Even when you factor in the opposition, bottom side Plymouth who are now without a win in their last 14 league games, there was nothing to suggest Scott Parker’s men were about to unleash such an exquisite display – certainly for the first 45 minutes – where the opposition were put to the sword with a dazzling array of ruthless finishing and pinpoint assists.
It would be easy to say a scoreline like this has been on the cards for a while. But in truth, it hasn’t really. The underlying data suggests not anyway.
Burnley are a side that like to control games by taking few risks, while moving heaven and earth to keep the ball out of their net. But free-scoring they are not.
But that all changed on a barmy evening in Devon where the Clarets hit Plymouth for five to give their goal difference a handy boost but, more importantly, keep up the pressure on the top two in the fight for automatic promotion.
Complete dominance
To run in five goals in one half of football is some feat. While Plymouth were rotten, Burnley deserve all the credit because they were utterly sublime.
They played at a tempo and a pace that Plymouth simply couldn’t deal with. While the hosts looked to aggressively press from the front, Burnley had willing runners, like Josh Brownhill and Josh Laurent, who constantly got in behind to stretch the game and exploit the spaces.
Jaidon Anthony was a constant menace out on the right, while Zian Flemming pulled off two finishes – his first especially – that could suggest he might well be a natural number nine after all.
The opener, coming after just 11 minutes, was arguably the pick of the bunch. Not just because of Flemming’s lovely, first-time sweeping finish, but the gorgeous, volleyed cross from Brownhill was a sight to behold.
While Flemming’s second was a far more routine close-range effort, there was still much to admire about the goal as Josh Cullen showed quick-thinking to pick out Anthony in space on the right before the winger slid in a cross that was just begging to be tapped home.
Once the second went in, you knew it was game over. Burnley barely concede one goal in a game, never mind two. But we still had no idea what was about to follow in a goal-crazy 15-minute spell before the interval.
Laurent got in on the act with his first goal for the club and again, it was another sumptuous finish, beating goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw all ends up with a crashing effort from the edge of the box from Connor Roberts’ pullback.
Like London buses, a second for Laurent arrived on the stroke of half-time when the midfielder had the simple task of nodding home from on the goalline after Lyle Foster had pulled the ball back across the face of goal – following another lovely team move.
Remarkably, Burnley still found time in first-half stoppage time to add a fifth, as Cullen bagged his first of the season after capitalising on a defensive horror show to pick out the back of the empty net. Que loud boos from the home faithful and pockets of fans heading straight for the exits.
Finding shooting boots
Such was Burnley’s dominance, there were no great complaints when they were denied what looked to be three pretty clear-cut penalties.
It’s easy to make a laugh and joke about it when you’ve just won 5-0, but this could easily have been seven or eight, such was the disparity between the two sides.
Yes, Plymouth were desperately poor and look destined for relegation, but Burnley still had a job to do and they carried it out with aplomb.
Significantly, this is the first time the Clarets have scored more than twice in a game since the 5-0 rout of Cardiff back in August.
Goals have clearly been an issue this season. Even when you factor in Wednesday night’s thrashing, Parker’s side have still only scored 36 times in 28 games, which is 17 fewer than Leeds in top spot.
Burnley’s imperious form rolls on though. They’re now unbeaten in their last 16 games in league and cup and they continue to threaten all kinds of records with their rock solid backline.
They’ve shipped just nine goals as we almost enter February, which is an EFL record at this stage of the season. This was clean sheet number 19 of the season too.
They also have a man in Flemming who is beginning to discover his scoring boots, having found the back of the net on five occasions in his last four games. Bizarrely, all eight of his goals this season have come away from home. What better time to change that than on Monday, eh?
Timely boost
All in all, the Clarets head into a potentially decisive showdown with Leeds brimming with confidence from their one-sided beating.
Let’s be clear, the pressure was on Burnley to deliver three points heading into the Plymouth game after both Sheffield United and Sunderland had won the night before. By the time the Clarets had kicked off against Argyle, Leeds were already 1-0 up against Norwich too.
But Parker’s men delivered – and then some – to keep up the pressure at the top of the table.
They’re not going anywhere in this fight, they’re right in the mix. Win on Monday to complete the double over the leaders and…in fact no, let’s not get too carried away. This is going right down to the wire.