, passes attempted, passes completed, pa){kind=link}
Championship leaders host bitter rivals Blackburn Rovers on Sunday for first league meeting in 6½ years
There was an interesting moment at Turf Moor last week when Vincent Kompany’s Burnley found themselves behind after just three minutes to Rotherham United.
As the first half progressed and with an equaliser still proving elusive, an older gentleman in the crowd – frustrated at watching his team patiently passing the ball from side to side – screamed at the players to “get it forward”. Rather than garner the backing of those around him, though, the fan in question suddenly found himself being rounded on by half a dozen supporters telling him to button it.
After almost 10 years of Burnley taking the route one approach to pretty good effect, it is inevitable that Dyche-ball would be indoctrinated in parts and that, for some, old habits are going to die hard. But others have been keen to embrace this brave new world being teased by Kompany and, even for a man who has seldom been short of self-belief, there must be part of the former Manchester City and Belgium captain and Pep Guardiola acolyte that is surprised by the sheer speed of the transition.
Burnley’s expansive, attacking approach has swept them to the top of the Championship and next up at Turf Moor on Sunday are sworn east Lancashire rivals Blackburn, who are also flying high under their own high-profile foreign manager, Jon Dahl Tomasson. So an intriguing first league meeting between these bitter foes for 6½ years pits first against second and, in the technical areas, a four-time Premier League title winner against a Champions League victor.