'Parker has done the exactly the same job as Kompany'published at 08:50 GMT 16 December 2025
08:50 GMT 16 December 2025
The Observer's football correspondent Rory Smith has observed a pattern in Burnley's attempts to establish a foothold in the Premier League.
After winning the 2022-23 Championship by a 10-point margin, Vincent Kompany's Burnley failed to find their feet in the top tier - and now, we're seeing history repeat itself, Smith says.
"[Appointing] Parker was a deliberate response to that [naive style under Kompany], to say 'that will not keep us up'," Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"The risk they were taking is: 'We've tried the fun way, and we went down. So let's try the non-fun way.'
"Parker has done the exactly the same job as Vincent Kompany - he got Burnley promoted, and now they're not quite good enough to stay up."
"They are very soft goals and Burnley are always fighting back in games. They very rarely go two goals up and can actually breathe and have a second to relax.
"They are always pushing for a goal to come back. When you concede first, and concede first so many times, it's difficult as a player and so demoralising.
"It's 'here we go again and again' and you know you have to score three or four goals in a lot of games to get something. Even the top teams can't sustain that.
"If you stay up in the Premier League you either outscore teams - you have a wonderful goalscorer, you have a really mean defence or your home record is phenomenal.
"Burnley haven't got any of those three or the ingredients to keep them up. They are just falling short in every area. The middle bit is fine but that's not where games are won and lost. They are won and lost in both penalty boxes and they just come up short every game.
"The margins are verym very small and Burnley don't create enough to take their opportunities.
"Fulham get gifted the first two goals - opposition teams don't have to work hard to score against Burnley.
"Scott Parker has been looking for that formula, his best XI, but no matter what formation he's played or system he's tried he's not found it yet.
"That is because his players at this level are not consistently good enough. They are good enough but not consistently good enough."
John: The Newcastle game was a flash in the pan. Back down to earth with this inept performance. Offensively pretty clueless. Defensively, we are going backwards and in truth, the score flattered us. Big changes now inevitable.
Gareth: Overall we played quite well against a lively Fulham team and created more chances than usual. We lost because of three awful pieces of defending as Martin Dubravka didn't have much else to do. However, this is happening every week now, the defence just isn't good enough for this level. I doubt a change of manager will make any real difference but I'm sure Scott Parker will know that this losing streak has to end soon if he is to keep the majority of fans on his side.
Richard: Same again, lacking any sort of finisher in the opposition box. Last season, our top goalscorer was our midfielder Josh Brownhill, and with no real finisher in the team this season we are struggling. Armando Broja and Lyle Foster both look short on confidence.
John: Two poor selections by Parker as Axel Tuanzebe is not a full-back so Oliver Sonne should have started while Foster isn't a right-winger so Marcus Edwards or Jaidon Anthony should have started. We seem to be going backwards now. Poor passing, poor concentration and poor marking. A team that was excellent in defence last season is giving away too many cheap goals.
Fulham fans
Kevin: What could have been a comfortable win became a nerve-wracking final quarter as our defence was poor again. Better teams will, and have already, take advantage of sloppy passing and poor decision-making.
James: A great attacking performance. They looked good all game (especially Harry Wilson) and deserved to win the game. The defence were not looking at their best but I'm happy Antonee Robinson is back.
Nick: Big collective sigh of relief but we should have had that game wrapped up by half-time. Please Mr Khan/Marco Silva, can we get a striker sorted early January, you're going to bring Raul's career to a premature end if you keep on like this. The chap is exhausted.
Will: Very, very important win. Breaking a generational dry streak at Turf Moor to help move us away from the bottom. Wilson is a true magician.
Burnley analysis: Shooting themselves in the footpublished at 22:05 GMT 13 December 2025
22:05 GMT 13 December 2025
James Law BBC Sport Senior Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Burnley had 16 shots, eight on target and had an expected goals (xG) of 2.52 - totals which you would expect to be enough to win a game.
But it is their wretched defensive record which is costing them as we approach the midway point of the season.
Scott Parker's side conceded just 16 goals in 46 Championship matches last season, a quite unbelievable record.
And, while no-one expected his side to maintain those kind of numbers at this level, the general standard of their defending has been surprising as well as bitterly disappointing.
Hartman did well to thwart Wilson on the counter-attack before half-time but that was not enough to cancel out his feeble attempt at clearing an average corner, which allowed Fulham a simple opener from three yards.
And just as poor was the marking for the visitors' second - three Burnley defenders all within a couple yards of Bassey but not one of them contested the header.
It is not just the club who are on a horrific run of defeats - Parker himself has now lost 23 of his past 30 Premier League matches, across spells with Bournemouth and Fulham, with only Daniel Farke losing a higher ratio (67%) among managers with 50+ games in the division.
Burnley 2-3 Fulham: What Parker saidpublished at 20:25 GMT 13 December 2025
20:25 GMT 13 December 2025
Media caption,
Burnley boss Scott Parker told BBC Sport after their 3-2 defeat against Fulham: "Frustrating. Disappointed. I've stood in front of you guys for the first 15 or 16 games with the same message.
"In this division you can't afford to give away goals like we have. We were competitive. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb. To score three or four goals to get points is a huge challenge.
"You could watch the first 15-odd games and it would be the same cycle.
"It's an element of concentration and focus. It's a deadly league. One lapse in concentration and nine times out of 10 it's in the back of the net.
"There are massive positives from today.
"The fine margins are what we've been on the wrong end of. The higher level you go anywhere in life, it's the fine margins.
"I feel I have a strong together group. You can't deny this is a group together fully committed. Human nature tells you it'll take its toll. It's my job to try to lift us up.
"We had a mountain to climb in this league. The mountain isn't huge for us. It's just a tiny bit [we need to fix]."
Fulham come into this off the back of two home defeats, but Marco Silva makes just the one change - Antonee Robinson in for Timothy Castagne at left-back.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Everton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Burnley v Fulham", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Burnley v Fulhampublished at 11:39 GMT 13 December 2025
11:39 GMT 13 December 2025
It is only December but this is a must-win for Burnley, in terms of confidence and also staying in touch with the teams above the relegation zone.
Look at Leeds at the moment and you can see they have got some confidence. Burnley are the opposite, after losing six games on the spin.
It is a big game for Fulham too, who are still in danger of being dragged into a relegation scrap.
For all their good play and excitement in pushing Manchester City and Crystal Palace close in the past few days, Marco Silva's side did not pick up any points.
So, it is vital they get something at Turf Moor, and I think they will. The obvious result is a draw and this time I am going to go with it.
Fulham's away form has been pretty poor but they do have some real quality in their team. Harry Wilson has been excellent for them this season, but while I don't see them losing this, I don't see them nicking it either.
Burnley v Fulham: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:03 GMT 12 December 2025
19:03 GMT 12 December 2025
Henry Cowling BBC Sport journalist
Burnley will be looking to end a run of six straight league defeats when they welcome Fulham to Turf Moor on Saturday. BBC Sport looks at some of the key themes going into the match.
Despite losing 2-1 last time out against Newcastle, Burnley head coach Scott Parker took positives from his side's showing. He even went as far as calling it "incredible" and suggested it may have been the Clarets' best performance of the season.
While they showed character in limiting Eddie Howe's side to a narrow win, made closer by Zian Flemming's stoppage-time penalty, the result was all too familiar.
History on their side
The result left Burnley on just 10 points after 15 games, and five points from safety. Historically, though, that provides cause for optimism.
Ten of the 17 Premier League teams who have been on 10 points at this stage of a season have gone on to avoid relegation.
Out of the past five teams to find themselves in that situation, only two have been relegated. Most recently, Wolves managed to turn their season around in 2022-23 after hiring Julien Lopetegui in November.
Burnley can also take confidence from being unbeaten in their last 29 home league games against Fulham, whose last victory at Turf Moor came in April 1951.
You're a wizard, Harry
The Cottagers come into this fixture after a 2-1 defeat at home by Crystal Palace. It was a game in which they struggled to break down the resolute Palace backline, and their goal came from a moment of inspiration from Harry Wilson.
Wilson producing goals out of nothing is quickly becoming quite the occurrence. The Wales international has now produced three goal involvements in his past three games, starting that run by scoring from nearly 40 yards out against Tottenham.
It leaves him joint top at the club for goal involvements in the league this season, alongside AC Milan loanee Samuel Chukwueze.
With Chukwueze and fellow attacking option Alex Iwobi both set to head to the Africa Cup of Nations next week, Fulham are likely to be looking to Wilson for attacking invention as they navigate the busy festive period.
'We need to be fighters' - Parker on Turf Moor and 'adversity'published at 14:58 GMT 11 December 2025
14:58 GMT 11 December 2025
Media caption,
Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham at Turf Moor (kick-off 17:30).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Parker will put out the same squad as he did last weekend, with no new injuries.
He took "massive encouragement" from the intent his team showed during the Newcastle defeat, particularly seeing "a fight, a spirit and a doggedness" in his players.
On the role that senior players play in his young squad: "I lean on them a lot. There's always a big emphasis on those boys to step forward at certain moments and show leadership qualities, to bring a young group together, and educate on the pitch as well as off it."
On whether his team are coming together quickly enough: "The cold hard reality is along any season - or any journey in life - there's some bumps and some adversity. Maybe the modern day world has not allowed us to embrace that adversity. We want a quick fix, an instant click of a finger, for things to be put right. Speaking with experience, that's not reality."
Parker added: "I've got a group that look up, face up, and go again. With that attitude, that desire, you have a chance, in terms of progressing and becoming better. I see that in this group."
On the role of the home crowd on Saturday: "I understand there's a hard-working fan base that come into the stadium to support this team and are desperate for a result. We are equally as desperate. We need their full backing. We need them right behind this young group - through thick, through thin. we need to make Turf Moor a real difficult place to come."
On the absence of Kyle Walker: "His quality, his experience, his understanding of certain situations will be a big miss. But it gives another person an opportunity."
On his final message to players before a game: "We need to be fighters, to represent what this club represents. Full-hearted commitment - that's the main message."
Full commentary of Burnley v Fulham can be found on BBC Radio Lancashire's frequencies 95.5, 103.9 & 104.5FM & on DAB from 17:30 GMT.
Scott Read and David Unsworth will be behind the microphone.
'Everyone just seems to have given up'published at 09:13 GMT 9 December 2025
09:13 GMT 9 December 2025
Natalie Bromley Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Scott Parker claimed that Saturday's performance against Newcastle was the "best performance of the year".
What is he measuring that on?
As I have said over and over this season, I remain frustrated at the defensive frailties in the side, the lack of attacking threat, and the gulf in class between us and the rest of the Premier League. Last week I lamented that Sunderland had managed to get themselves a point against Arsenal owing to their ability to drive and attack in the dying seconds. This week it was the turn of Leeds, who refused to give up and won themselves an incredible point against Liverpool. Burnley's points tally against the big sides in the league? Zero.
Parker claims we are showing a fight. But the problem is that we only seem to show fight when the game is already lost. I can't remember the last time I saw us come out and dictate the flow of the game ourselves. To have put another team under pressure. To make them have to change their gameplans. We are just so painfully cautious and defensive and offer up not much more than a training game.
And, for the third time this season, we conceded the stupidest of penalties. Like the challenge isn't big enough?
Giving up is not in my nature, but I just feel so very fed up with this season and can't see us getting out of this. Everyone just seems to have given up.
So, you know what I would do? Get this team on an FA Cup run and win a trophy. Give us all a trip to Wembley and something to cheer for. Wouldn't that be something this season?
Burnley's battle for goals published at 13:48 GMT 8 December 2025
13:48 GMT 8 December 2025
Karan Vinod BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Burnley's biggest problem under Scott Parker is as clear as it is costly: they simply don't create enough. That's what the stats say, and unless that changes quickly, their battle against relegation will only get steeper.
Fifteen games into the season, the Clarets sit 19th in the Premier League with just three wins, and while they remain only five points from safety, the underlying numbers paint a picture of a side struggling to generate the sort of attacking threat needed to climb out of trouble.
Expected goals (xG) suggest Burnley should have scored slightly more than they have. They rank third in the league for the gap between goals and xG, meaning they are underperforming relative to the chances they create. But the deeper issue is that those chances arrive far too infrequently. A team can survive cold finishing spells; it cannot survive a lack of service.
Across almost every creative metric, Burnley sit at or near the bottom of the division. Their shot-creating actions per 90 minutes - the number of attacking moves that lead to a shot - stands at just 14.40, the lowest in the Premier League. Even Wolves, who rank 19th in that category and are rock bottom in the Premier League, produce 16.43. That gulf might appear narrow, but over the course of 90 minutes, and then a season, it becomes decisive.
The problem starts further back. Burnley rank 18th for passes into the final third (22.2 per match), often struggling to progress the ball high enough up the pitch to sustain pressure. Without that territorial foothold, Parker's side are too frequently forced backwards or wide, rarely managing the sort of central combinations that trouble well-organised Premier League defences.
When they do reach dangerous areas, the final ball is missing far too often. They are 20th for key passes - those that directly lead to a shot – at just 5.93 per game. Only a handful of Burnley's attacking sequences end with anything resembling a chance, putting enormous pressure on forwards who are already feeding on scraps.
Technical execution has also played a part. The Clarets sit 19th in the league for miscontrols, a measure of how often players fail to properly bring the ball under control. In isolation, individual errors like these seem minor; in aggregate, they slow attacks, kill transitions, and allow opponents to reset their shape. For a team that already struggles to create, such wastefulness is doubly damaging.
Burnley do not lack effort, organisation or defensive discipline; what they lack is sustained, repeatable attacking patterns capable of producing shots, chances and goals.
The platform is there, the gap to safety is small, the season is long, and performances have shown signs of improvement, but the margins are unforgiving.
To escape relegation, Burnley don't just need to be more clinical. They need to give themselves far more opportunities to be.
FA Cup third round draw detailspublished at 13:45 GMT 8 December 2025
13:45 GMT 8 December 2025
Image source, Getty Images
The draw for the third round of the FA Cup will take place on Monday, 8 December at around 18:40 GMT, before the broadcast of Brackley Town v Burton Albion - the final game of the Second Round.
Former England internationals Joe Cole and Peter Crouch will conduct the draw that will consist of 64 teams on TNT Sports.
The 20 winners of the second-round ties will be joined by all 20 Premier League clubs and 24 Championship teams in the third round.
All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 10 January 2026.
Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra-time and if necessary, a penalty shootout.
Newcastle 2-1 Burnley - the fans' verdictpublished at 11:12 GMT 8 December 2025
11:12 GMT 8 December 2025
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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Newcastle and Burnley at St James' Park.
Here are some of your comments:
Newcastle fans
Michael: Relief all round. Burnley had a very good chance to draw and then you would be scratching your head even more as to how we couldn't extend our lead in the second half. We could not create meaningful chances in the box. I've always said we need a midfielder with a creative spark for the low-block. It all looked very predictable in build-up play and Burnley defended well, without having to be brilliant.
Geoff: Admittedly, we have to rotate players but those who are not first choice must improve. Newcastle should have improved their goal difference by three or four at least in this fixture.
Emgee: Scott Parker will be happier than Eddie Howe. Newcastle have to sort out their last 10 minute jitters and find a way to see out a game on the front foot.
Phil: A lot has been made about Newcastle's mentality. It's clear to see that bite and hunger to defend is just not there. They have a lot of soft players who are focused on scoring and attacking rather than defending. We nearly snatched a draw from the jaws of victory.
Burnley fans
John: I was so proud of my team. The first half was probably the best half of football we have played away from home for some time. I couldn't believe that we were 2-0 down with 10 men. The second half was a gutsy performance. We won the half and might have gained a point. A great response from the Crystal Palace game. We just need a goalscorer.
Peter: Considering the difference between the two squads - Newcastle's expensively assembled one against a modestly financed Burnley - this was a good showing from the Clarets. Awful refereeing in the first half with our goalkeeper fouled for the first goal and a very iffy penalty. Our defence was better with Worrall in it. We are young and lack experience. Could this be a turning point?
Mark: We won the second half 1-0 with 10 men and could have nicked a draw at the death! Reasons to be optimistic for me.
Burnley 'stood up to be counted'published at 08:32 GMT 8 December 2025
08:32 GMT 8 December 2025
Tom Gayle BBC Match of the Day commentator at St James' Park
Image source, Getty Images
I wasn't the only one in the media room to do a double take when discovering the Burnley team news included Armando Broja being selected ahead of Zian Flemming.
After a series of unsuccessful loans, where he has clocked up more injuries and time on the bench than playing minutes and goals, the striker has garnished an unwanted reputation of not being cut out for English top-flight football.
While pessimists will be quick to point out Saturday's display means Broja has now made 36 Premier League appearances since his last goal, optimists will have seen there is quite clearly a player there.
For me, the Albania international epitomised the visitors' performance.
The 24-year-old was the constant out ball, someone who was able to hold up and subsequently link play while the game was still 11v11.
When down to 10 men, he never hid, he worked tirelessly and, in the rare moments of possession, he remained positive and tried to bring the ball forward despite being swarmed upon by black and white shirts.
In perhaps their toughest moment of the season so far, Broja and his Burnley team-mates stuck their chests out, stood up to be counted and, as Scott Parker told me after the match, delivered their "best performance of the season".
At no point during the near 100 minutes of game time did Burnley look like a team who had lost their previous five Premier League matches.
For the opening half an hour, and perhaps up until Lucas Pires' red card, they were unquestionably the better side.
Ultimately, Burnley headed back to Lancashire empty-handed and we shouldn't lose sight of the fact it appears to be an extremely big ask for them to remain in the division.
However, for those away supporters who made the journey to the north east, there should be plenty of solace in how a much-changed team clearly showed they are up for the fight and remain fully committed to both the badge and their manager.
'A huge missed opportunity'published at 08:12 GMT 8 December 2025
08:12 GMT 8 December 2025
Adam Cottier Final Score reporter
Image source, Getty Images
From Newcastle's perspective it would have felt like unnecessary late drama. For Scott Parker and Burnley, a huge missed opportunity.
An opportunity to arrest a run of defeats that's threatening to do huge damage to their survival chances.
Burnley were spirited at St. James' Park. They ought to have made more from a start to the game that saw them trouble Newcastle.
It took Bruno Guimaraes' extraordinary piece of opportunism to snap any Burnley momentum and the away side unravelled with Lucas Pires' red card and then the gifting of a penalty before the break.
But Burnley don't tend to lose heavily. Only two of their 11 defeats this season in the top flight have been by more than two goals.
And they hung in on Tyneside. Some of it luck, some of it down to anxiety from the home team - anxiety which increased when Zian Flemming scored the penalty which felt like it had came too late, but actually wasn't, given the golden chance Burnley squandered in the last action of the game.
And that's where Burnley's biggest limitations appear to lie, lacking the required conviction and razor-sharp accuracy that's so often needed in the Premier League to win games - and it wasn't just one player guilty of lacking it.
It's a concern not easily remedied in January. The sooner Armando Broja, who started for the first time for Burnley at Newcastle, ends a wait of the more than two years for a Premier League goal, the better those chances of not going down might become.
Analysis: Spirited response can't mask issues at both endspublished at 19:18 GMT 6 December 2025
19:18 GMT 6 December 2025
Ciaran Kelly Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
A penny for Scott Parker's thoughts at half-time.
Having seen his side more than hold their own in the opening half an hour, the Burnley boss walked down the tunnel with his head down after the visitors conceded twice and went down to 10 men.
Parker had little option but to throw on defender Joe Worrall for forward Lyle Foster at the start of the second half to ensure the scoreline did not turn ugly.
Although Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka had to make some important saves after the break, the visitors stayed just about in the game and even managed to make it nervy for Newcastle late on.
Zian Flemming, who was unfortunate to drop out of the starting line-up, offered the perfect response to his omission by winning his side a penalty and then converting it.
Yet, as spirited a response as this was, there is a reason Burnley are where they are in the table.
Nobody has conceded more goals in the Premier League this season (30), while the Clarets have only netted two goals in their past four matches.
Newcastle 2-1 Burnley: What Parker saidpublished at 18:27 GMT 6 December 2025
18:27 GMT 6 December 2025
Media caption,
Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about his side's performance at St James' Park: "It was an incredible performance from us. That was probably our best performance of the season. A lot of learning has been done over the course of the season and today, how the dynamics of the game panned out, there were some hammer blows.
"We've had good performances, but at times we've lacked a certain intensity to our game. We had to defend, we had to be gutsy, we got ourselves right back into the game and we had a chance [to equalise] as well.
"The biggest thing now is that these players have set a bar [with this performance]. It is a young group that is developing and today's performance is how I want us to look."
On Lucas Pires' red card: "I haven't seen it back."
Did you know?
Burnley were the first side to have a player sent off, give away a penalty and concede two goals in the first half of a Premier League match since Arsenal against Tottenham in May 2022.
Zian Flemming became the first-ever player to score in four consecutive away Premier League appearances for Burnley.
