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Sean Dyche grinned and dropped his head on to the desk in front of him when he was told that the £59.7m Manchester United have spent on Angel Di Maria surpasses the transfer market money laid out by Burnley in their entire 132-year history.
The east Lancashire side have rattled up a £45m outlay on players since 1882 but are not taking it much higher in a hurry. Their total spending since gaining promotion to the Premier League in May has been around £4.5m, with even the typical post-promotion blowout proving beyond a club whose next nine months seem certain to be spent hoping for a miracle. The wage ceiling at Burnley is £20,000 a week. It was the £11m Fulham paid Leeds United for Ross McCormack in the summer which really sent a chill through Turf Moor.
They are a side the nation should be looking to for a story of virtuous self-sufficiency and in 43-year-old Dyche certainly possess a protagonist to cherish. His tactics will be direct when they need to be – “They will play with a lot of passion; a lot of long balls. You have to fight against it. It will be a very difficult game but we have to show we can play football, that we can pass the ball in spite of the pressure of Burnley” Manchester United’s manager, Louis van Gaal, said looking ahead to today’s game. Dyche bridled a little at that reputation. Intense, pressing, quick-breaking football is actually the Burnley way.
“Some teams keep the ball for the sake of keeping the ball,” Dyche told The Independent last year. “I want quick, passing football through the units to open up opposition, particularly on transition.” Expect something more Southampton than Wimbledon. It could threaten a young United defence, using what has been a suicidally high line so far.
Burnley - the latest match picturesShow all 133 1 /133Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 Burnley 0 Mark Noble converts his match-winning penalty
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 Burnley 0 Mark Noble celebrates his goal for West Ham
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 Burnley 0 Michael Duff walks off the pitch after being sent off
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Everton 1 Burnley 0 Kevin Mirallas shoots at the second time of asking to score for Everton
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Everton 1 Burnley 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates his match-winning goal with his team-mates
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Everton 1 Burnley 0 Ashley Barnes clashes with Ross Barkley for possession
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Everton 1 Burnley 0 Ashley Barnes was sent-off on the stroke of half-time
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 George Boyd shoots to score the opening, and winning, goal for Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 George Boyd celebrates
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 Sergio Aguero in action against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 Burnley 0 Daniel Sturridge scores Liverpool's second
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 Burnley 0 Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson celebrates his goal against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Swansea 1 Sam Vokes reacts after missing a chance
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Swansea 1 Sean Dyche gestures at his players - the team are winless in six
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Swansea 1 Kieran Trippier scores an goal to give Swansea the points.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Swansea 1 Swansea are now up to eighth after the win.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Burnley celebrate the opening goal from Ashley Barnes
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Danny Ings makes it 2-0 to Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Chris Brunt gets one back for the visitors
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Brown Ideye scores the equaliser
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Brown Ideye celebrates the equaliser
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring the winner for Palace
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Dwight Gayle scores the winner in the 3-2 victory over Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Jason Puncheon equalises for Crystal Palace with his second goal inside a week
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Dwight Gayle pulls one back for Crystal Palace
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Danny Ings celebrates scoring Burnley's second
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Danny Ings slots the ball into the back of the net to double Burnley's lead
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 Crystal Palace 3 Ben Mee heads Burnley into the lead as he converts Kieran Trippier's corner
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Scott Arfield curls the ball past Rob Green to put Burnley into the lead.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Charlie Austin was fouled and then got up to score the penalty - his 13th goal of the season
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Danny Ings slots home the crucial winner
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Harry Redknapp's team fell to their 10th straight away defeat
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Adel Taarabt (right) made his return to the QPR team after a row with Redknapp earlier this season.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 QPR 1 Sean Dyche's team picked up a crucial win over their rivals at the bottom of the division.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Newcastle 3 Burnley 3 George Boyd celebrates his equaliser against Newcastle
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Newcastle 3 Burnley 3 Danny Ings celebrates his goal for Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Newcastle 3 Burnley 3 Newcastle caretaker manager John Carver (right) reacts
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Burnley 2 Manchester City's Spanish midfielder David Silva (R) scores the opening goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Burnley 2 Fernandinho of Manchester City scores their second goal to put the champions in total control
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Burnley 2 George Boyd of Burnley celebrates after pulling one back
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Burnley 2 Ashley Barnes scores a stunner for the visitors to bring things level
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Burnley 2 Scott Arfield celebrates the equaliser for Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 Burnley fans applaud former player Clarke Carlisle, who was hit by a lorry
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 Raheem Sterling misses an early chance at Turf Moor
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 Brad Jones picked up an injury and was replaced by Simon Mignolet after just 15 minutes
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 George Boyd has an attempt at the Liverpool goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 Raheem Sterling rounds the keeper to score for the Reds
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Liverpool 1 The England man gave Brendan Rodgers a vital three points
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 Spurs striker Harry Kane poked the home side into an early lead
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 Ashley Barnes curled a wicked shot beyond Hugo Lloris to equalise
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 Barnes celebrates with Burnley team-mates
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 Erik Lamela scored the decisive goal with a fantastic strike from outside the area
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 The goal was Lamela's first in the Premier League since joining last summer
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Tottenham 2 Burnley 0 Danny Ings reacts after missing a good chance in the second-half
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Southampton teenager James Hesketh had to go off after a heavy challenge from Michael Keane
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Fraser Forster smothers an early attempt from Ashley Barnes
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Sadio Mane leaps in the air to bring the ball under control
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Kieran Trippier attempts a free-kick in front of the Turf Moor crowd
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Dusan Tadic saw his penalty saved by Burnley keeper Dusan Tadic with the game still 0-0
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Southampton 0 Ashley Barnes turns in a cross to score a crucial winning goal for the CLarets
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Burnley - the latest match pictures QPR 2 Burnley 0 Leroy Fer celebrates scoring the opening goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures QPR 2 Burnley 0 Bobby Zamora of QPR argues with Thomas Heaton of Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures QPR 2 Burnley 0 Charlie Austin of QPR celebrates scoring his team's second goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures QPR 2 Burnley 0 Charlie Austin is sent off shortly after scoring. Thankfully for the striker his team was able to hold on
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 Mehdi Abeid leaves Stephen Ward chasing him down the right hand side
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 George Boyd fires the Clarets into a first-half lead
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 Boyd celebrates with the Burnley mascot Bertie Bee
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 Papiss Cisse turns in a cross to draw Newcastle level at Turf Moor
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 Newcastle players surround Cisse after his equaliser
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Newcastle 1 Danny Ings attempts to get a shot on goal in the second-half
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Paul Lambert on the bench without the now-departed Roy Keane
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Joe Cole celebrates scoring on his first start for the club
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Gabby Agbonlahor challenges Tom Heaton in the Burnley goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Ashley Barnes holds off Carlos Sanchez
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Aly Cissokho holds of Burnley winger Michael Kightly
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1 Danny Ings scored an 87th-minute penalty to earn Burnley a vital point
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 Hull players protest to referee Mark Clattenburg over the awarding of a free-kick
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 The evening sky over Turf Moor
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 George Boyd and Ahmed Elmohamady battle for the ball
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 Ashley Barnes heads in Burnley's winner
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 Barnes celebrates with his Burnley team-mates
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Hull 0 The win is Sean Dyche's first in the Premier League this season
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez scores the opening goal for Arsenal against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the opening goal for Arsenal against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Sean Dyche shouts his instructions from the sidelines as he looks to get his side into the match
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gestures during the match against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 Alexis Sanchez shows his frustration in the match against Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Samuel Eto'o celebrates his second goal of the game
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Samuel Eto'o nets his second of the game
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after giving Everton back the lead
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Danny Ings celebrates his equaliser
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Danny Ings scores his first Premier League goal to bring Burnley level
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Samuel Eto'o celebrates his goal
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Everton 3 Samuel Eto'o heads the Toffees in front
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 West Ham 3 Carlton Cole nets West Ham's third
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 West Ham 3 George Boyd gets a goal back for Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 West Ham 3 Enner Valencia makes it two for the away side
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 West Ham 3 Diafra Sakho opens the scoring for the Hammers
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 Ross Wallace can't hide his delight after securing an unlikely point at Leicester City in stoppage time.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 Riyad Mahrez resumed Leicester's lead just second after Burnley's equaliser.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 Michael Kightly scored only Burnley's second goal of the season to drag his side level.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 An unlikely goal scorer, Jeff Schlupp put the Foxes ahead after a period of pressure from the hosts.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 Despite a decent start from Sean Dyche's men, Leicester had the best chance of the opening exchanges with Wes Morgan's header forcing Ben Mee into a goal-line clearance.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Leicester City 2 Burnley 2 There was another 31,000 sell-out at the King Power Stadium for Leicester vs Burnley.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Brom 4 Burnley 0 Inspired by Graham Dorrans and Saido Berahino, the Baggies achieved their biggest Premier League home win.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Brom 4 Burnley 0 It proved to be a tough afternoon for the Premier League new boys as West Brom ran riot.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Brom 4 Burnley 0 Burnley were looking for players like George Boyd to fill the void left by Danny Ings and Sam Vokes - who are injured.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures West Brom 4 Burnley 0 Both Alan Irvine and Sean Dyche have endured challenging starts to their first seasons managing in the Premier League
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Sunderland 0 Emanuele Giaccherini takes the ball forward for the Blackcats
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Sunderland 0 John O'Shea tangles with Marvin Sordell
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Sunderland 0 Kieran Trippier in action for Burnley
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Burnley 0 Jason Shackell, in one of few moments of note, clears off the line after Wilfried Zaha's effort.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Burnley 0 George Boyd, who joined from Hull City on deadline day, was making his first start in a Burnley shirt.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Burnley 0 Neil Warnock was given a loud welcome back to Selhurst Park ahead of the visit of Burnley.
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Juan Mata is crowded out by Burnley defenders - indicative of the home side's effort and work rate for the full 90 minutes
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Angel Di Maria made his United debut but couldn't influence the side and eventually limped off with an injury after 70 minutes
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Manchester United players react after referee Chris Foy waved away what looked like a handball that would have been a penalty
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson looks on in anguish at Turf Moor as United failed to win again
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Sean Dyche's team picked up their first point of the season with an excellent performance
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 0 Manchester United 0 Louis van Gaal is still winless as Manchester United manager after three matches in charge of the club
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Ashley Williams battles with Scott Arfield at the Liberty Stadium
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson protects the ball under pressure from Dave Jones
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Swansea boss Garry Monk (left) shares a laugh with Sean Dyche ahead of kick-off in Wales
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Arfield fires a shot at goal in the first-half, but it was saved by goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Nathan Dyer slots the ball past Tom Heaton to make it 1-0 to the home side against the Premier League newcomers
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Swansea 1 Burnley 0 Dyer's goal was the only one of the game, confining Burnley to a second defeat in two matches in the Premier League
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Scott Arfield showed wonderful technique to smash Burnley into a 13th-minute lead against Chelsea
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Thibaut Courtois was given the nod ahead of long-time Chelsea No 1 Petr Cech
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Diego Costa quickly brought the Blues level with his first competitive goal for his new club
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Andre Schurrle then put the Blues ahead
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 And before half-time, Branislav Ivanovic made the score 3-1
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Cesc Fabregas, who had a hand in all three goals, in action for the Blues
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Burnley - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Chelsea 3 Didier Drogba came off the bench to make his first appearance since returning to the club where he is considered a legend
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Dyche speaks with a clarity which is a blessing in the buttoned-up, self-conscious world of the Premier League. “We have learnt that Chelsea are very good. That’s one thing,” he said of the early lessons. “And we have learnt that Swansea are also very good, but not quite as good as Chelsea…. We know the ball stays in play longer, which adds to the physicality. So players cover more ground. We know there are technically more sound players and talented ones in the teams we have certainly faced so far. There’s a tactical framework to teams that differs.”
Angel Di Maria and Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford (Getty Images)
Memories of 19 August 2009 – Burnley defeating reigning champions United 1-0 at Turf Moor in their second Premier League fixture – put the odds into some kind of perspective, though even that seems a distant memory as the division’s commercial juggernaut has powered on. “It’s not so much with us because the group of players is considerably different,” said Dyche of five years ago. “Michael Duff was around, but he’s been here for 14,000 years. We know the game has changed since then and moved on.”
This lunchtime is an event made for players like goalkeeper Tom Heaton, once third choice at United, who told Sir Alex Ferguson in 2010 that he could not wait around any longer for a dream to materialise into reality. “There was the option of a new deal, and I said that was me [done],” Heaton said. “I was ready to go and try new things, drop down, play some games.”
Dyche talks of having a coffee with Van Gaal. “It will be interesting to [do that] and ask him [things]. I don’t know if I would get that chance. But I would be interested in that,” he said. Don’t bet against Van Gaal being the one who learns most today.
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