Match ends, Burnley 1, Fulham 1.
BurnleyBurnley1FulhamFulham1
Relegation-threatened Fulham lost some of the momentum built up by their win at Everton but showed battling qualities to claim a point at Burnley.
Of the three sides currently adrift at the bottom of the Premier League, the Cottagers seem the most capable of clawing their way to safety, as illustrated by their impressive win at Goodison Park on Sunday.
But they failed to repeat that bright and incisive display at Turf Moor against a typically hard-working and competitive Clarets side, who married their industry with the game's main moments of attacking ingenuity.
It was the visitors, though, who took the lead, as much through fortune as design, with Ola Aina's chested effort from a corner finding the net despite an attempted clearance from Robbie Brady on the line.
Crucially, the visitors were denied the time to draw confidence from the opener, with Burnley hitting back three minutes later through a well-taken Ashley Barnes finish, following a superb low ball from Jay Rodriguez.
The same two strikers had both narrowly failed to get a goal-bound touch on a superb low cross from James Tarkowski in the first half, while Rodriguez saw a low drive kicked away by Alphonse Areola shortly after his side had levelled the score.
The draw represents an opportunity missed for Burnley to put further ground between themselves and the London side, with the gap between the two a sizeable but not yet entirely comfortable eight points.
Scott Parker's side remain six points shy of safety, with Newcastle the 17th-placed side most in danger of being reeled in.
A point gained, or two lost for Fulham?
Earning a result at Burnley against a side built to expose the mental and physical weaknesses in an opponent, especially a newly promoted one, is not an easy task.
In doing so, Fulham have further demonstrated their growth into a top-flight side, after claiming a number of creditable draws earlier in the campaign and then dispatching an aspiring big-hitter in Everton last weekend.
Unfortunately, the Cottagers' development could have come too late.
Only wins will really eat into the gap between themselves and safety and they cannot afford to let one slip from their grasp when it is there to be had.
It is why Parker and his side will be so disappointed at the speed and manner with which they conceded the equaliser at Turf Moor, throwing away the lead and momentum they had seized by allowing Barnes a free run in on goal to finish.
They had been on the back foot for large periods before that and were indebted to a bit of fortune for their goal, but aesthetics come a distant second to actual points right now.
The biggest positive for Burnley will be that their advantage over the Cottagers remains the same as it was before kick-off.
With the likes of Newcastle and Palace in far worse form than they are, and Brighton a point worse off, they will feel relatively calm about their situation.
What will worry manager Dyche is further injuries to his already depleted squad, with Johan Berg Gudmundsson having to depart, and his replacement Robbie Brady also needing to be replaced.
There is no respite for either side, with both facing further important fixtures at the weekend.
Burnley host West Brom, the side a place below Fulham in the table, while Parker's men welcome bottom club Sheffield United to Craven Cottage.
'When we get ahead we need to weather something'
Burnley boss Sean Dyche talking to Sky Sports: "Another point on the board, we are stripped to the bare bones. A committed performance.
"The reaction to their goal was excellent and I thought we defended well. It's remarkably unfortunate how many injuries we have had."
Fulham boss Scott Parker talking to Sky Sports: "It is a tough place to come, the ball is in play not a lot, it is scrappy. We got our noses in front and disappointed with the goal we have conceded.
"We take the point though. That is four points so far this week. When we get ahead we need to weather something. There were a couple of mistakes for their goal.
"I thought we were solid, dealt with the threat of balls coming in but were not able to get our identity on it.
"We regroup, it has been a busy week. Every game is big for us. Six points. This team has honest belief and confidence."
Burnley's best unbeaten home run extended - the stats
- Burnley are unbeaten in their past 31 home meetings with Fulham in all competitions (W25 D6), extending their longest ever unbeaten run against an opponent at Turf Moor in their history. Their last such defeat was back in April 1951 (2-0).
- Fulham's 31-game winless streak away from home against Burnley in all competitions is their longest run without a victory on the road against an opponent in their history.
- There have been just 24 Premier League goals scored at Turf Moor this season (Burnley scoring 10 and conceding 14) - the joint-lowest total at a top-flight ground in 2020-21 (level with Craven Cottage).
- Fulham have gone six consecutive away games without defeat in the Premier League (W1 D5), their joint longest such run in the competition (also in August 2004 under Chris Coleman).
- Burnley have conceded the first goal of the game in eight of their 12 Premier League matches at Turf Moor this season, including each of the past five - only Sheffield United (10) have done so more often on home soil in the competition this campaign.
- There were just 224 seconds between Ola Aina's opener for Fulham and Ashley Barnes' equaliser for Burnley.
- Burnley's Jay Rodriguez has assisted in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in his career, with this his 196th appearance in the competition.
- Burnley's Robbie Brady is the only player to have been substituted on and off in two separate Premier League games this season.
Player of the match
TarkowskiJames Tarkowski
with an average of 7.77
Burnley
Avg
- Squad number5Player nameTarkowskiAverage rating
7.77
- Squad number10Player nameBarnesAverage rating
6.70
- Squad number1Player namePopeAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number19Player nameRodriguezAverage rating
6.47
- Squad number28Player nameLongAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number2Player nameLowtonAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number3Player nameTaylorAverage rating
6.14
- Squad number18Player nameWestwoodAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number11Player nameMcNeilAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number4Player nameCorkAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number8Player nameBrownhillAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number7Player nameGudmundssonAverage rating
5.69
- Squad number12Player nameBradyAverage rating
4.82
Fulham
Avg
- Squad number34Player nameAinaAverage rating
6.42
- Squad number5Player nameAndersenAverage rating
6.19
- Squad number27Player nameMajaAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number21Player nameReedAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number16Player nameTosinAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number1Player nameAreolaAverage rating
5.82
- Squad number15Player nameLoftus-CheekAverage rating
5.81
- Squad number19Player nameLookmanAverage rating
5.78
- Squad number17Player nameCavaleiroAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number2Player nameTeteAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-ReidAverage rating
5.65
- Squad number29Player nameZambo AnguissaAverage rating
5.43
- Squad number18Player nameLeminaAverage rating
5.42
- Squad number33Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
5.31
Line-ups
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Pope
- 2Lowton
- 28Long
- 5Tarkowski
- 3Taylor
- 7GudmundssonSubstituted forBradyat 39'minutesBooked at 46minsSubstituted forBrownhillat 64'minutes
- 18Westwood
- 4Cork
- 11McNeil
- 10Barnes
- 19Rodriguez
Substitutes
- 8Brownhill
- 12Brady
- 15Peacock-Farrell
- 25Norris
- 26Bardsley
- 34Dunne
- 41Benson
- 45Driscoll-Glennon
- 46Mumbongo
Fulham
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Areola
- 2TeteSubstituted forRobinsonat 78'minutes
- 5Andersen
- 16Tosin
- 34Aina
- 15Loftus-CheekBooked at 16mins
- 21Reed
- 18LeminaSubstituted forZambo Anguissaat 61'minutes
- 19Lookman
- 14De Cordova-ReidSubstituted forCavaleiroat 67'minutes
- 27Maja
Substitutes
- 3Hector
- 4Odoi
- 12Rodák
- 13Ream
- 17Cavaleiro
- 25Onomah
- 29Zambo Anguissa
- 30Kongolo
- 33Robinson
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
Match Stats
Home TeamBurnleyAway TeamFulham
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Burnley 1, Fulham 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ashley Barnes (Burnley) header from very close range misses to the left following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Burnley. Conceded by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Post update
Foul by Joachim Andersen (Fulham).
Post update
Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ademola Lookman (Fulham) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Josh Maja.
Post update
Foul by Ademola Lookman (Fulham).
Post update
James Tarkowski (Burnley) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Fulham).
Post update
Jack Cork (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Josh Maja (Fulham) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek with a cross.
Post update
Ademola Lookman (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Matthew Lowton (Burnley).
Substitution
Substitution, Fulham. Antonee Robinson replaces Kenny Tete.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Fulham) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ivan Cavaleiro with a cross.
Post update
Ademola Lookman (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Matthew Lowton (Burnley).
Post update
Foul by Kenny Tete (Fulham).
Post update
Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
But the next two against Sheffield United at home, and them Palace.
Must won those both.
I still reckon Fulham will just about survive, they play good football normally though it was a bit more difficult to do so against this tough as ever Burnley side.
Southampton Newcastle and Palace may start worrying soon!