Leeds United 1-0 Burnley: Player ratings as Patrick Bamford penalty separates sides

Leeds United held on to earn a hard-fought 1-0 win against Burnley in the Premier League at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

Patrick Bamford, lining up against a club where, as he put it: 'I didn't get a chance,' opened the scoring for Leeds from a penalty inside the opening five minutes. Despite an uncharacteristically lax defensive display, Burnley may have felt hard done by to go in at the break trailing 1-0 after Ashley Barnes was denied a goal following a dubious foul on Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Burnley very much upped the ante in the second half, closing Leeds down with the intensity their hosts are famed for in the home side’s defensive third. Yet, the Clarets couldn't take any of the half-chances they carved out, bringing an end to their four-game unbeaten run.

LEEDS

1. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Illan Meslier (GK) - 6/10 - Had his blushes spared in the first half thanks to a dubious free-kick given in his favour after spilling a catch. Not the first time or last time he would fail to instil confidence with his handling. Still made an impressive six saves.

Luke Ayling (CB) - 7/10 - Delivered an incisive, arrowed long pass for Bamford's opener. Sneakily positioned himself in positions if not to win the aerial ball, then put off his more vertically gifted marker.

Kalvin Phillips (CB) - 8/10 - Constantly looking to receive a pass as the central centre-back while also popping up with a clutch of decisive headers away.

Pascal Struijk (CB) - 7/10 - With the unenviable task of replacing club captain and defensive leader Liam Cooper, Struijk was rarely caught out.

2. Wingbacks & Midfielders

Stuart Dallas (RWB) - 7/10 - Evidently, Dallas' versatility has no bounds. After admirably filling in as a wingback, the Northern Ireland international stepped, ever-efficiently, into midfield.

Mateusz Klich (CM) - 5/10 - Peppered an underwhelming display with a number of wild, ambitious efforts from range.

Rodrigo (CM) - 6/10 - Pushed forward with the vigour and enthusiasm for attack coursing through this Leeds side without quite applying final shot or pass..

Ezgjan Alioski (LWB) - 6/10 - Tirelessly charged up and down the left flank but lacked composure in the final third.

3. Forwards

Raphinha (RW) - 6/10 - Created a host of chances for his teammates which weren't taken, floating in off the right to cause havoc between Burnley's lines of midfield and defence.

Patrick Bamford (ST) - 6/10 - Emphatically converted the penalty he won himself, but cut an isolated figure for much of the match.

Jack Harrison (LW) - 5/10 - Squandered a hugely presentable opportunity from inside the penalty area in the first half when Leeds were on top.

4. Substitutes

Pablo Hernandez (CM) - 6/10

Jamie Shackleton (RWB) - 6/10

Ian Poveda (RW) - 6/10

BURNLEY

5. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Nick Pope (GK) - 5/10 - Clumsily felled Bamford for the spot kick but went about his other business without much fuss.

Matthew Lowton (RB) - 5/10 - Not often called upon at the back but hardly a threat going forward.

James Tarkowski (CB) - 4/10 - All too easily split apart by one simple long ball for Leeds' opening goal.

Ben Mee (CB) - 5/10 - The uncharacteristically sloppy play from Burnley's captain didn't end with the first goal but didn't return after the interval.

Charlie Taylor (LB) - 5/10 - Desperately struggled to contain Raphinha throughout the match.

6. Midfielders

Josh Benson (RM) - 4/10 - In just his second Premier League appearance which lasted more than five minutes, Benson didn't exert any real influence on proceedings.

Ashley Westwood (CM) - 7/10 - Always a threat with his wicked crosses from out wide - including an eye-catching rabona cross which just missed its mark.

Josh Brownhill (CM) - 6/10 - Like most of Burnley's players, Brownhill was much more proactive after the interval, dutifully hassling his opposite number in white.

Erik Pieters (LM) - 5/10 - Against the side who had conceded the most set pieces in the division, Pieters' deliveries couldn't expose this well-established flaw.

7. Forwards

Chris Wood (ST) - 5/10 - Missed a golden chance in the first half and failed to capitalise on the flurry of crosses inevitably aimed at him in the second half.

Ashley Barnes (ST) - 5/10 - Had the ball in the back of the net in the 18th minute but denied the chance to double his seasonal tally by a dubious decision from the referee.

8. Substitutes

Jay Rodriguez (RM) - 5/10

Dale Stephens (CM) - 5/10