Paul Clement twitched, his feet restlessly scuffing the floor while attempting to surmise the latest Swansea catastrophe.
‘Better times are in the future,’ he offered with an air of nervousness, lacking true conviction or belief. The clock is unquestionably ticking on his reign.
Clement arrived at Turf Moor with assurances over his job prospects after talks with co-owner Steve Kaplan but the manner of this may well change that.
Burnley midfielder Jack Cork celebrates with his team-mates after scoring against his former Premier League side
Ashley Barnes doubled Burnley’s lead 11 minutes later when he converted after good work by midfielder Jeff Hendrick
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
Burnley (4-4-1-1): Pope 7; Lowton 7, Tarkowski 7.5, Mee 7, Ward 6; Gudmundsson 7, Cork 7.5, Defour 7.5, Brady 7; Hendrick 7.5 (Vokes 80); Barnes 8
Subs not used: Lindegaard, Taylor, Westwood, Wells, Long, Arfield
Swansea City (4-4-2): Fabianski 7; Naughton 4, Mawson 4.5, Fernandez 5, Olsson 6; Dyer 6, Clucas 5.5, Fer 4 (Ki 70, 6), Sanches 6.5; Ayew 5 (Bony 46), Abraham 6 (Narsingh 82)
Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Van Der Hoorn, Carroll, Routledge
Ref: M Atkinson 7
Att: 18,895
Player ratings by Jack Gaughan
- Premier League
- Premier League
- Championship
- League One
- League Two
- Scottish Premiership
- Scottish Div 1
- Scottish Div 2
- Scottish Div 3
- Ligue 1
- Serie A
- La Liga
- Bundesliga
Hendrick’s pass picked out Barnes who lashed his shot beyond Fabianski – see more from our brilliant Match Zone here
A reaction was not forthcoming from his players: no fight, no quality and no organisation. The manager again wore a haunted look, just days after appearing bullish, enthused after team bonding trips at the beach and ten-pin bowling.
Six defeats in seven tell a story of irretrievable decline for a man who admitted he rode a wave of momentum last season. The Swansea board must decide whether he is still worth gambling their Premier League fortune on. Kaplan spoke to Clement on Saturday night and it is beginning to feel ominous.
‘Of course I’m concerned – I’d be stupid if I wasn’t,’ Clement added. ‘If the owners feel there is someone that can get better out of these players, it is their right to do that. We need to find a way of breaking the cycle.’
Swansea actually started brightly, seemingly sufficiently cajoled by their boss, but soon reverted to type. The away fans called for the head of chairman Huw Jenkins. Not a pretty situation, Jenkins later seen shaking his head in disbelief.
Swansea defender Martin Olsson and Barnes go up to contest a header early on in the first half of the game
Burnley didn’t have to wait long for the opening goal – Cork heading past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to take the lead
It was just the start Sean Dyche’s side needed and the players knew it was a crucial goal as they ran away to celebrate
Burnley’s Stephen Ward attempts to get his overhead kick on target as Swansea struggle to contain the hosts
This is not to do Burnley or Sean Dyche a disservice. Cemented in seventh, level on points with Arsenal and Liverpool, this is their best start since 1973. And the first time since 1974-75 they have won three top-flight matches on the bounce.
Clement spoke of the ‘Swansea Way’ before this but the inexplicable circumstances by which they lost two first-half goals were more in keeping with his stewardship than the potent, incisive football that description belongs to.
Both were completely avoidable; both the result of dire mistakes in midfield and a lack of appetite to make up for them thereafter.
Jack Cork, who Clement suggested was sold against his wishes, wanted a loose ball more than Kyle Naughton, dragged out of position from right back after 29 minutes.
Barnes, who was playing on his own in attack, scored with a superb right-footed effort from just inside the Swansea area
Hendrick, who supplied the pass for Barnes, joins the striker before running off to celebrate a second goal for the hosts
Swansea were frantically pedalling backwards. Cork wandered forward, found Ashley Barnes in the box and carried on his run completely unchecked. Barnes fed Robbie Brady, whose cross planted right on Cork’s unmarked forehead and Lukasz Fabianski was left stranded. ‘A great goal,’ Dyche said. ‘I love midfielders driving into the box.’
Eleven minutes later and it was two – Swansea a mess without protection of a sitting midfielder. Leroy Fer over-hit a pass to Sam Clucas on halfway and the youngster could not gather.
Steven Defour won it, found Jeff Hendrick ahead of him and again Burnley were off in one fell swoop. Hendrick saw Barnes at 45 degrees to his left. One touch on the box’s edge, another, and a thump past Fabianski, kissing the near post and hammering an advertising hoarding behind the goal, such was the shot’s ferocity.
More would not have flattered Burnley. Barnes missed another superb chance, his tame header well saved by Fabianski on the line. James Tarkowski might consider himself unfortunate to see a third chalked off for offside.
Swansea manager Paul Clement walks off the Turf Moor pitch after watching his side concede two first half goals
Swansea team-mates Sam Clucas and Alfie Mawson look out of ideas after losing to Burnley on Saturday afternoon
‘The reality is still out there – 40 points is still a big marker,’ Dyche added. ‘Don’t get me wrong, this is to be enjoyed. I’ll have my window of about an hour.’
Clement’s hapless side weren’t much better in an attacking sense either. Shots on target: zero, until Wilfried Bony’s poor stoppage-time header. Martin Olsson saw a shot blocked by Tarkowski with the sort of grit Swansea do not possess and half-time substitute Bony spooned over when he ought to have left for Clucas.
Clucas was exasperated, roaring in Bony’s direction. At least some emotion was evident eventually but this is beginning to look very bleak indeed for Clement. Bleaker still when he saw Tammy Abraham – involved in 71 per cent of Swansea’s goals this term – depart on a stretcher with a back injury.