Burnley 1-3 Aston Villa: Wait for first point continues as Clarets are well beaten by impressive opponents

Just like their opening game against Manchester City, Vincent Kompany’s men gave themselves a mountain to climb, trailing 2-0 at the half-time break.

While Villa, like City, were in ruthless form in front of goal, the Clarets also posed their own problems and were cut open far too easily.

To their credit, the hosts improved ten-fold at the start of the second period and quickly pulled a goal back through Lyle Foster, who netted the club’s first goal of the season.

But Villa produced another devastating counter to restore their two-goal lead and make it 3-1 when Mo Diaby drilled home.

Kompany made two changes to his side from the opening day 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

Hannes Delcroix, a recent addition from Belgian side Anderlecht, came in for his debut, while Manuel Benson was handed his first start of the season.

Jordan Beyer, who was left out of the squad completely, and Vitinho were the two names to make way.

Aaron Ramsey, who recently made the move to Turf Moor from Villa, was named among the substitutes.

Elsewhere, Anass Zaroury served the first game of his three-match suspension following the red card he was shown against City.

Darko Churlinov (health scare) and Michael Obafemi (hamstring) also missed out.

As for Villa, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was absent with a knock he picked up during the midweek thrashing of Hibernian in the first leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier.

Aaron Ramsey’s brother Jacob missed out with an ankle complaint, while Àlex Moreno (hamstring), Philippe Coutinho (hamstring), Leander Dendoncker (muscular), Tyrone Mings (knee) and Emiliano Buendía (knee) were also sidelined.

After a feeling out process during the opening exchanges, the game’s first opening came the way of Villa’s Mo Diaby, who saw his effort on the counter-attack well blocked by Josh Cullen.

The Clarets didn’t heed the warning, however, going a goal behind only two minutes later following another break.

This time it was the lightning-quick Ollie Watkins who was unleashed down the left. He lifted the ball over the onrushing James Trafford and wide of goal, but wing-back Matty Cash was there to stab home into the back of the empty net.

Luca Koleosho was Burnley’s biggest threat in the opening stages, driving one over the bar from just outside the box before delivering a dangerous ball into the middle which just eluded Lyle Foster.

Despite Burnley’s positive response, they soon fell two behind when Cash drilled home his second of the afternoon in the 20th minute.

It was another sloppy goal to concede from Burnley’s point of view after being undone and cut open far too easily. Diaby was set free in the box before pulling the ball back into the path of Cash, who beat Trafford once again with an emphatic first-time finish.