The £12.8 million signing of Maxwel Cornet from Lyon should address one of the glaring problems facing Burnley’s Sean Dyche but this entertaining draw was a contest that raised questions for both managers.
Patrick Bamford’s 86th-minute equaliser saved a point for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, cancelling out a second half opener from former Leeds striker Chris Wood.
It marked the end of a memorable week for Bamford who enjoyed his first – and deserved – England call-up this week with Gareth Southgate naming him to his squad for the forthcoming internationals with Hungary, Andorra and Poland.
Bamford was also rewarded with a new five-year contract by Leeds last week.
But for his club, after a demoralising defeat at Manchester United on the opening day and home draw with Everton last week, Leeds may well be destined to go the way of last season, recognised as a thoroughly entertaining team but one with serious flaws.
“I’ve just congratulated him and the cub for extending his contract, it is something they did right,” said Bielsa of Bamford.
“And to be called up to your national team is something very important and very deserved.
“Apart from two segments in the middle of each half, we managed to manage the game but the difference is that for us to play well, we need our creative players to be on top of their game.”
A lack of creative players being on top form was certainly the impression left as they toiled for a point at Turf Moor, where Burnley have won just once in 2021, a victory over Aston Villa 13 games and 215 days ago.
Indeed, Burnley have now scored just eight times in those 13 league and cup games – hence the move for the Ivory Coast international Cornet – and Leeds themselves were 4-0 winners here as recently as mid-May.
But with time running out, Ben Mee half cleared a Raphina shot but only as far as substitute Jamie Shackleton whose follow-up attempt diverted off the unfortunate Mee for Bamford to show brilliant reflexes and touch the ball past a stranded Nick Pope.
It was an eerily similar effort to the opening goal from Wood, after 61 minutes, when he diverted a Matt Lowton shot past Illan Meslier from close range after his team mate James Tarkowski had headed a corner against the bar.
Burnley supporters, and Dyche, will hope that the former Lyon man knows the way to goal better than he knows his way around a Burnley shirt, with the official unveiling photos yesterday showing the 24-year-old pointing to the logo of the kit supplier rather than the club.
But, perhaps inspired by the pending arrival of Cornet, Burnley created enough chances – by their standards at least – to have won the game although at least the arrival of a 24-year-old with Champions League pedigree should offer some relief for the chronic lack of goals.
“He’ll have the chance to settle in and see what the team and club offer,” said Dyche. “We hope he’ll settle well. Hopefully he’ll come in and hit the ground running.
“I look at all players as a chance to come and develop. Hard work makes it work. He seems willing and ready to come in and enjoy his football.
“For Bielsa, in his time in the Premier League with Leeds, he has never endured more than three games without a victory. With Liverpool next up, at Elland Road in a little under a fortnight, he will face a challenge to maintain that record.
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