Burnley 1-1 Leeds: Player ratings as Bamford snatches point for visitors

29 August 2021 18:15

Burnley and Leeds played out a fiercely contested 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon which leaves each club winless in the top flight heading into the international break.

In a full-blooded first half, both sides offered flickers of threat without registering a shot on target between them. Patrick Bamford came the closest to breaking the deadlock but at the wrong end of the pitch, heading a corner onto the base of his own post on the cusp of half time.

Leeds dominated possession but only truly threatened on the rare opportunities to break. Burnley, meanwhile, grew into the contest, trying to force high turnovers in open play before unleashing a torrent of set pieces to begin the second half.

Last season's most porous side from dead balls could only keep Burnley at bay until the hour mark, failing to clear a corner which Chris Wood cleverly toed past an unfortunate Illan Meslier. However, Wood's goal sparked an improvement from a surprisingly blunt Leeds side that were lucky to escape with a point thanks to Bamford's tapped finish in the final five minutes.

BURNLEY PLAYER RATINGS

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Charlie Taylor tangles with Leeds United's Rodrigo | George Wood/Getty Images

Nick Pope (GK) - 6/10 - Scarcely called into action and helpless for Bamford's goal.

Matthew Lowton (RB) - 5/10 - Took aim with the shot that Wood diverted on goal and largely shackled a quiet Jack Harrison.

James Tarkowski (CB) - 5/10 - Having dusted off a WWE routine to practically slam Bamford into the turf inside the opening two minutes, Tarkowski set the tone of this tussle.

Ben Mee (CB) - 6/10 - Much like his centre back partner, Mee flew into challenges and the path of opposition shots with perhaps too much gusto at times.

Charlie Taylor (LB) - 5/10 - Beaten by Raphinha for Bamford's goal having marshalled him so well up until then.

2. Midfielders

Josh Brownhill (right) contests a high ball with the airborne Raphinha | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Johann Berg Gudmundsson (RM) - 4/10 - Missed a very presentable sight of goal from inside the penalty area half an hour in and first to be subbed.

Josh Brownhill (CM) - 6/10 - Snapping into tackles with the vim and vigour of his teammates, he also peppered his performances with some silky touches.

Ashley Westwood (CM) - 4/10 - Returning from a painful toe injury, Westwood didn't seem to have quite regained his touch with some uncharacteristically poor set pieces.

Dwight McNeil (LM) - 7/10 - Limited going forward but no player on the pitch - in a contest littered with challenges - racked up more tackles than the winger.

3. Forwards

Ashley Barnes (left) and Chris Wood (right) led the line for Burnley | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Chris Wood (ST) - 7/10 - The former Leeds top scorer and player of the season came back to haunt his previous employers with lovely improvisation.

Ashley Barnes (ST) - 6/10 - Rarely without a handful of an opponent's shirt, the emphatically physical forward never tired of looking stunned when penalised himself.

4. Substitutes

Aaron Lennon (RM) - 5/10

Matej Vydra (ST) - N/A

LEEDS PLAYER RATINGS

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Pascal Struijk has started all three of Leeds' Premier League games this season | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Illan Meslier (GK) - 6/10 - It wasn't always commanding or conventional but the slight 21-year-old was hardly swamped by Burnley's aerial onslaught. Made his best save of the day seconds before helplessly conceding.

Diego Llorente (CB) - 5/10 - In his first Premier League appearance of the season, the Spain international didn't begin with an easy assignment up against Wood and Barnes.

Pascal Struijk (CB) - 6/10 - Anchoring the back three, Struijk didn't shy away from the physical side of this tightly contested confrontation.

Liam Cooper (CB) - 6/10 - On one of the few occasions Meslier misjudged a cross, Leeds' captain was there to get a crucial header in front of the lurking Mee, marshalling his defence amid the skyward bombardment.

6. Midfielders and wingbacks

Luke Ayling (RWB) - 4/10 - In a more advanced role than he's accustomed, Ayling failed to influence proceedings going forward or really assist at the other end.

Kalvin Phillips (DM) - 5/10 - Forced into a flurry of 50-50 challenges as often the only central figure in Leeds' midfield, Phillips managed to not look as hopelessly outnumbered as he often was.

Stuart Dallas (LWB) - 6/10 - As has come to be expected, the Northern Irish international performed as well at wingback as he does in every other position.

Rodrigo (AM) - 4/10 - Pushing right up almost alongside his number nine to create the formation synonymous with his Argentinian manager as the attacking midfielder in a 3-3-1-3, Rodrigo couldn't get anywhere near replicating his brace in this fixture last season.

7. Forwards

Patrick Bamford (left) was on the end of some meaty challenges against a tough tackling, to say the least, Burnley | George Wood/Getty Images

Raphinha (RW) - 5/10 - Floating menacingly in off the flanks, the fleet-footed Brazilian skirted around the fringes of the contest before beating his man, practically for the first time, ahead of Bamford's goal.

Patrick Bamford (ST) - 7/10 - With a first week as part of the senior England squad on the horizon, Bamford battled valiantly and snaffled up the one chance that came his way.

Jack Harrison (LW) - 4/10 - Endured an unusually anonymous afternoon.

8. Substitutes

Marcelo Bielsa rapidly made his first substitution after conceding. | George Wood/Getty Images

Ben Shackleton (CM) - 5/10

Tyler Roberts (AM) - N/A

Source: 90min