Cullen 'happy' to extend staypublished at 17:42 21 August
17:42 21 August
Image source, Getty Images
Burnley midfielder Josh Cullen has signed a three-year contract extension after reuniting with his former Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany last summer.
The 27-year-old played 50 games during the Championship title-winning campaign, scooping up two club awards at the end of his first season in Lancashire.
Cullen said: "I’m really happy to extend my time here, especially off the back of last year which was a really successful year for the club. I can’t wait to continue my career with Burnley.
"It will be great to get back to Turf Moor this weekend and be in front of the fans again and hopefully get our first three points on the board."
The Republic of Ireland international becomes the third player to sign a new long-term deal this summer, after team-mates Anass Zaroury and Manuel Benson.
Friday night's opener against Manchester City went exactly as we thought it would but I am not sure I have left any of our previous City defeats feeling, well, so positive.
The style and DNA of Vincent Kompany's Championship-winning team had carried over to the Premier League. We looked to drive the ball forward and create chances where we could. We didn't just roll over, even at 3-0 down.
Kompany has a champion's mentality and he curates environments where his players can perform at that level.
And the cherry was the performance of Lyle Foster, who struggled to make his mark last season, but has worked tirelessly with Craig Bellamy to improve his movement and mental health. I am excited to see what he can deliver this campaign. He even looks completely different. Is he perhaps an imposter?
However, the game was ultimately marred by trouble with supporters. For all the work the club has done to improve our image, to make progress away from the grimmer days of our past, a selection of our fanbase reinforced the tired stereotype before we even kicked a ball.
This isn't just a Burnley problem, it is one for society, but we were the ones in the spotlight.
I struggle to comprehend deliberately objecting to a display of unity and support and my heart broke for Kompany; imagine having to answer questions on the behaviour after your first ever game as a Premier League manager. I am angry.
Football means a lot to you. Your club means a lot to you. I get that. It makes you passionate. So how about you funnel that passion into supporting a cause that means so much to your manager and large selection of your players?
Your views on Friday's gamepublished at 12:35 14 August
12:35 14 August
We asked for your views on Friday's game between Burnley and Manchester City.
Here are some of your comments:
Burnley fans
Paul: Considering how many new players were in the team Burnley did really well against probably the best club side in the world right now. It will take time for so many players to gel and get used to Kompany's system. It took a while last year and this will be the same. A month or so at the bottom then a climb up to mid-table safety will follow.
Matey: Thought we did a lot better than in previous encounters with City - pressed well and caused a few problems. However City aren’t the best club in the world for nothing.
David: Thought they played well, seems a good team spirit. On that performance last night and the passionate crowd we're sure to stay up. Played some good attacking football but were a bit naive at times.
Jim: I thought Burnley reacted well to the early goal and City, though the better team, didn’t have it all their own way. Having watched the penalty incident in first half, I wonder why that wasn’t referred by VAR . It could easily have been a penalty and a red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. That could have changed the outcome.
Manchester City fans
Monnie: A good win, even if the performance was efficient rather than spectacular. That said, the first two goals were excellent, and good to see Haaland doing what he does best. Going 3-0 up when we did allowed Pep to rest a few players and give a debut to Gvardiol. Kovacic looked solid, but a shame his debut was because of injury to De Bruyne.
Henry: A deserved win, yes, but out of 10, we were a mediocre six at best. City were not fully in sync, we had a lot of very loose passes that gave Burnley many chances that luckily for us they were unable to convert. I know it will be better after a few more games.
Alan: First game of the season is always tricky. Especially so when playing a newly-promoted team. A good enough performance which I'm sure will be improved on week by week.
Paul: Average performance this evening but Burnley hardly threatened. Worry for KDB again.
Catch up with the weekend's Premier League actionpublished at 07:55 14 August
07:55 14 August
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis of Saturday's first seven fixtures of the 2023-24 Premier League season, plus goals from Friday's meeting between newly-promoted Burnley and Manchester City.
Analysis: Burnley 0-3 Man Citypublished at 09:43 12 August
09:43 12 August
Phil McNulty, chief football writer
Burnley were presented with the toughest possible start to life back in the Premier League as manager Vincent Kompany tried to plot the downfall of the Treble winners and the club where he became an iconic figure as the inspirational captain during their glory years.
The result was locked in after Manchester City went ahead early, but Burnley showed real spirit and character, even creating anxious moments for Guardiola's side as Lyle Foster and Zeki Amdouni threatened.
In the end, they were undone by some loose defending, but more specifically by the predatory instincts and natural goalscoring prowess of Erling Haaland - and they will not be the last to suffer that fate this season.
Burnley stuck to Kompany's passing methods, which made them such impressive winners of the Championship last season, while James Trafford, the goalkeeping hero of England's European Under-21 Championship triumph in July, made an impressive debut against his former club.
The Clarets got an early taste of what will be required this season, but this was the most exacting examination of all and, even though they lost, there will still be plenty to encourage them.
Where will you finish? I always start with “I think Burnley will surprise a few people” - but everyone seems to have us finishing about 11-15th, which is where I think we finish.
Young talent to break through? Jordan Beyer. Not so much for Burnley fans as we already know how good he is, but now the rest of the world will realise.
Who needs to move on? I had originally said Wout Weghorst because I think too much has happened for him to be a success at Burnley. With the news he's gone to Germany, I'm happy with everyone we have here.
Happy with your manager? 100%. Vincent Kompany is the best up-and-coming manager in world football and he will go on to win domestic and European titles.
Who will be your best signing? Zeki Amdouni. It will be interesting to see how we use him as he can play anywhere across the front line and we have been crying out for someone with flair and creativity in the number 10 role.
What are you most looking forward to? Being back in the Premier League with our new brand of football. If you are expecting Burnley to come to your ground and defend for their lives then you're in for a shock - we will attack you.
Any other business? We still need a central midfielder and a left-back - those areas are a cause for concern.
Sutton's predictions: Burnley v Manchester Citypublished at 13:34 11 August
13:34 11 August
Chris Sutton will be making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of rivals. First up is two-time world champion boxer Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Sutton's prediction: 0-2
Manchester City looked a bit undercooked in the Community Shield on Sunday. But they often start the season quite slowly, and we all know how they usually finish it.
This is still the champions we are talking about, though, and they have got so much quality in their squad.
I am fascinated by Burnley, because a lot of people seem to be thinking they will stay up, but I have got them going down.
I love what Clarets boss Vincent Kompany is doing and I loved the way they played in the Championship last year, but I think they will find it a lot more difficult if they try that brand of football in the top-flight.
This game will be closer than when they met in the FA Cup last season, when City won 6-0 at the Etihad with Erling Haaland getting a hat-trick.
Haaland hasn't got a goal for City for six games now, going back to the end of last season, but I am expecting him to be back on the scoresheet at Turf Moor, even if Pep Guardiola's side are not yet at full throttle.
Joshua's prediction: So, Erling Haaland scored 52 goals last season? He might have 62 by Saturday! 0-4
Hearn's prediction: This is going to be tough for Burnley because City are coming out of the gates fast and they are going to be just as good as ever this season. 1-4
How will the promoted teams do this season?published at 12:16 11 August
12:16 11 August
Last season, all three newly promoted teams stayed up in the Premier League for only fourth time - but how will Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United fare this time around?
Burnley fan Natalie Bromley, Luton Town supporter Kunal Mistry and Sheffield United podcaster Josh Chapman join The Football News Show to share their views. Who predicts their team will go straight back down to the Championship?
Media caption,
The Football News Show: How will the promoted teams do this season?
Will Burnley be 'clear of relegation' on their Premier League return?published at 12:10 11 August
12:10 11 August
Image source, BBC Sport
We asked you where you think Burnley will finish on their return to the Premier League.
Here are some of your comments:
John: I don't think this season will be the same quick, free-flowing football of last season, but I do think Burnley will be a much improved team than when they were last in the Premier League. I think we will shock a few big teams and finish mid-table.
William: There’s one comment that sticks in my mind from Vincent Kompany - if you can keep the ball the opposition can’t score. Based on that thinking we will play pretty much the same way and there will the odd games where we will come unstuck. Kompany has assembled a young and hungry side who will not be scared of the Premier League. I think we will finish 10th.
Steve: We should finish clear of the relegation slots. I am confident as we have some talented players and some decent acquisitions. Luton, Sheffield United and Everton will struggle for sure and we will be able to take points from anyone at the Turf.
Tim: IThink they will finish 15th but could be anywhere between 10th and 16th. Really can't see them going down given the weakness of some of the teams.
Jean: We will have lots of fun this season. Vincent will stick to his principles and we will have a few big defeats but we will finish 14th and we will only get better. Up the Clarets!
Ramsey deal a 'very clever piece of business' for Villapublished at 12:06 11 August
12:06 11 August
Aston Villa's reported sale, external of midfielder Aaron Ramsey to Burnley - which features a buyback clause - is a masterstroke, according to the Daily Telegraph's Jim White.
The 20-year-old spent last season on loan in the Championship - first with Norwich City and later with Middlesbrough - making 29 appearances across both spells and scoring eight goals.
"It's a really interesting move this," White told BBC Radio 5 Live's Transfer Gossip Daily podcast.
"You have to remember who's behind it which is Unai Emery. He's one of the shrewdest transfer wizards around.
"It's a very, very clever piece of business this by Aston Villa because Ramsey is 20, he's on the fringes of the first team squad and they were thinking 'what would be the best way of progressing his career'?
"What they've done is sold him to Burnley for £14m, which is reasonable business, and they have also put within the sale a really stringent buyback so if anytime they feel he's doing too well for Burnley they can buy him back.
"It's very clever. It's like they're sending him out on loan but being paid to do so."
Transfer news: Burnley agree Ramsey dealpublished at 08:40 11 August
08:40 11 August
Burnley have agreed a £14m deal to sign England Under-20 attacking midfielder Aaron Ramsey from Aston Villa, who have added a buy-back option to the deal. (Talksport), external
Are Burnley staying up? The stats suggest so...published at 16:41 10 August
16:41 10 August
Chris Collinson, BBC football statistician
If history is anything to go by, Burnley's survival this season looks assured.
In terms of points, the Clarets are the sixth best team ever promoted to the Premier League after breaking the 100-point barrier in their Championship campaign. Every previous 'centurion' side survived in the top flight the following season.
Last season's goal difference of +52 is also a good omen. Every side that has been promoted with a goal difference over 50 has stayed up (9 of 9), while all but one of the 16 sides promoted with a goal difference over 40 have survived.
The one side that failed to stay up was Bolton, who were promoted to the Premier League in 1996-97 with 98 points and a goal difference of +47 – both records by a team that made an immediate return to the second tier.
However, even that is not too much of a warning for Vincent Kompany's side as the Trotters were relegated with 40 points – more than enough to survive in the Premier League nowadays.
Image caption,
The points tally of the best relegated side plus one in 38-game seasons
Burnley v Man City: Pick of the statspublished at 16:41 10 August
16:41 10 August
Burnley have won just one of their past 23 league matches against Manchester City (D6 L16), and have lost the past eight in a row by an aggregate score of 26-1.
City have won their opening Premier League game in 12 of the past 14 seasons.
Vincent Kompany is set to become the first Belgian to manage in the Premier League - but no Burnley manager has ever won their first Premier League game in charge of the Clarets (D1 L3).
This is City's first league match on a Friday since May 2021, when they won 4-3 at Newcastle United. Meanwhile, Burnley have never won or scored a Premier League goal on a Friday, drawing one and losing two of their games.
Treble winners Manchester City finished their 2022-23 Premier League campaign with a draw against Brighton and defeat by Brentford. They've not had a longer run without a league win since one of four in March-April 2017.
Erling Haaland, who scored twice in City's opening Premier League game last season, netted a hat-trick in his only previous game against Burnley - a 6-0 victory in last season's FA Cup quarter-finals.
Image source, Getty Images
