Burnley enjoyed their first Premier League win of the season by demolishing Brentford in a mostly one-sided game at Turf Moor on Saturday. The work was pretty much done in the first half.
Chris Wood got the ball rolling for Burnley early on, before further goals came from the outstanding Matthew Lowton, as well as Maxwel Cornet, all before half-time. Saman Ghoddos scored the pick of the bunch with a late consolation strike for Brentford.
For the Bees this was a first away defeat in the Premier League, having previously only lost at home and enjoyed their best results since promotion on the road.
But Thomas Frank’s side were outclassed by Burnley, who scored more than a single goal in a Premier League home game for the first time since 27 January – nine long months ago.
Wood gave the Clarets a lead with only a few minutes on the clock when he raced onto full-back Lowton’s searching through ball down the right flank and smashed a powerful shot past stand-in Brentford goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez.
Cornet almost doubled the lead not long after when a whipped ball forward from Lowton across the penalty area from deep reached the Ivorian to turn in. However, celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened and it was ruled out for an offside just beforehand.
Lowton himself got the crucial second Burnley goal just after half an hour, ghosting in at the back post to connect with Charlie Taylor’s cross from the left. Burnley’s third was the result of Dwight McNeil tucking inside and spraying a ball out to the left for Cornet to run on to.
It was too little too late when substitute Ghoddos, who made a very positive impact off the bench in general, improvised with a spectacular scissor-kick volley inside the penalty area.
BURNLEY PLAYER RATINGS
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Nick Pope (GK) - 7/10 - Made a big save to preserve his team's lead at 1-0.
Matthew Lowton (RB) - 9/10 - His searching ball down the right flank created the opening goal in the first few minutes. He did it again for the offside goal ruled out, but then got into the box himself to score the second.
James Tarkowski (CB) - 7/10 - Outstanding defending to clear off the line at one point, although it would have been offside anyway.
Ben Mee (CB) - 6/10 - Just about won the battle against a challenging Toney.
Charlie Taylor (LB) - 7/10 - Cross from the left set up Burnley's crucial second goal and got forward plenty.
2. Midfielders
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (RM) - 7/10 - Should have doubled Burnley's lead in the first half but his shot was weak. Caused issues for Brentford.
Ashley Westwood (CM) - 8/10 - Ran the game in midfield, passing well and creating chances and openings for his teammates.
Josh Brownhill (CM) - 7/10 - Put in the hard miles and ensured that Brentford were never settled on the ball.
Dwight McNeil (LM) - 7/10 - Tucked infield to create the third goal for Cornet.
3. Forwards
Chris Wood (ST) - 8/10 - Took his chance clinically only a few minutes in. A constant threat, whether through the middle or pulling wide.
Maxwel Cornet (ST) - 7/10 - Saw a well-taken finish ruled out for an offside but didn't have to wait too long to get on the scoresheet properly.
4. Substitutes
Matej Vydra (ST) - 5/10 - Given just over 20 minutes off the bench but it was when Brentford were coming more into the game.
BRENTFORD PLAYER RATINGS
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Alvaro Fernandez (GK) - 4/10 - First Premier League game filling in for the injured David Raya and endured a decidedly mixed afternoon. A few good saves but several more very shaky moments.
Mathias Jorgensen (CB) - 5/10 - Didn't do enough to help smooth over the switch in goalkeeper and protect Fernandez, given his level of experience.
Pontus Jansson (CB) - 5/10 - Summed up Brentford's afternoon when he played an easy sideways pass straight out of play in first-half stoppage time.
Ethan Pinnock (CB) - 4/10 - Will know he should have done better to cut out the ball for the early breakthrough goal. Lacked awareness for the second.
6. Midfielders
Sergi Canos (RM) - 6/10 - Better going forward than helping out in a wing-back role. Created his team's best chance to score in the first half.
Frank Onyeka (CM) - 4/10 - Didn't impose himself on the game and was hooked inside an hour.
Mathias Jensen (CM) - 5/10 - Lasted slightly longer than Onyeka but another guilty of not doing enough to unsettle Burnley's rhythm.
Christian Norgaard (CM) - 6/10 - Brought a save out of Pope in one of Brentford's rare sights of goal, before a cushioned header assist.
Rico Henry (LM) - 5/10 - Let Lowton get in front of him too easily when Burnley went 2-0 up.
7. Forwards
Ivan Toney (ST) - 6/10 - Probably Brentford's best attacking threat but too often lacked service to be consistently impactful.
Marcus Forss (ST) - 5/10 - Didn't really seem to do that much.
8. Substitutes
Saman Ghoddos (CM) - 7/10 - Put himself about after coming on and gave Brentford far more than they'd had without him. Tremendous scissor-kick volley for his team's consolation.
Vitaly Janelt (CM) - 6/10 - More solid presence in midfield, underpinning Brentford's much-improved final quarter.
Mads Roerslev (RM) - N/A
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Source : 90min