Burnley 3-0 Blackburn: Anass Zaroury and Ashley Barnes strike for the Clarets

Turf Moor hasn’t bounced like this in a long, long time. Not even when Burnley reached the Europa League. Vincent Kompany somehow completely changed the atmosphere around these parts in four months.

Top of the championship, but that’s not half. This isn’t the Burnley you thought you knew. This is not the Burnley the city had come to accept.

It’s young, fresh, vibrant – a team desperate for the ball, desperate for entertainment – and even if they don’t regain their Premier League status this season, at least Kompany has some fun in the process brought. Chairman Alan Pace may have a different opinion, but that’s for another day.

Ashley Barnes scored a brace to earn Burnley three points against Blackburn on Sunday

Barnes rose highest to take home from Anass Zaroury cross in the 55th minute

The 22-year-old now has four goals and two assists in his debut season with the club

Kompany has been constantly hearing reminders of the magnitude of this derby, arguably the biggest in a generation and maybe another on top. Towards the end, the Belgian joined borrower Taylor Harwood-Bellis to punch fists at a frantic crowd. This was an important one, a statement.

The two vicious rivals haven’t both been upwardly mobile in the same division for decades and here they are, occupying two of the top three spots. However, the final gap was huge. Ashley Barnes helped herself twice, the sparkling Anass Zaroury with the other.

“I never expected this when I came in,” says Kompany. “We had prepared for the worst. There was talk of paying off debt. My first day was the loss of big players – Mee, Pope, McNeil, Cornet, Tarkowski, Collins – and 16 players to replace them in a league I was unfamiliar with. It was a perfect storm.

“We had no expectations and they are now coming with what people are seeing. We don’t treat ourselves as favourites.’

That may have to change. Burnley controlled this from the start, as they so often do, and Thomas Kaminski superbly foiled two Barnes headers. The striker was not deterred later.

Barely venturing into the home half, Blackburn asked for a penalty when Ben Brereton Diaz was bundled up by Jordan Beyer and registered their only shot in the 47th minute. What their short adventure offered was extra space, and I had a feeling Burnley might be interested in that. They did and eight minutes later she boasted a lead.

Zaroury then grabbed one for himself with a well taken finish from a rebound

Zaroury, a tricky and fast left winger brought in from Belgium in the summer, shot to the byline and before his marker could attack, he hit one on a board in front of Barnes.

As he peeled off Ayala, Barnes let the quick cross hit him, led Kaminski from the six-yard box and pushed the keeper back into the net for good measure, because it’s Ashley Barnes and he just can’t help it.

This place was alive all day, but never more than that moment. Smoke rose from the main stand, the Jimmy McIlroy ended frantic as the entire Kompany team went crazy in front of them.

Robbers were mentally shot. Substitute Nathan Tella picked up a limp Kaminski pass to challenge and force the keeper to make a clever save and this derby was over seconds later, with 16 minutes remaining.

Tella was involved, tapping his heel beautifully in front of Barnes to shoot furiously at target. That was well saved, but Kaminski could only hit Zaroury. No problem from there, 40 feet away, he slid into the corner as Blackburn stood watching.

Vincent Kompany’s squad is now three points ahead of the top of the Championship table

Jon Dahl Tomasson could only sigh at the gift. His defenders played in their own third, Clinton Mola – loaned from Stuttgart and debuting in the league – throwing possession and then turnover was so rapid that Rovers barely had time to realize what was happening, let alone get into a form. to establish.

“It’s a difficult afternoon,” said Rovers boss Tomasson. “That courage and courage that we had recently was not there today. We weren’t brave on the ball. I am disappointed for our fans.’

More to come; Barnes wasn’t quite done yet. Tella found Josh Brownhill – who led this game after halftime – and the midfielder noticed Barnes driving into the penalty area. Barnes, who had no league goals to his name so far, sent two men the wrong way and calmly pushed in a third.

Then came the spotting – cheering on every pass – plus fireworks being set off from the adjacent cricket ground, some flying debris that luckily missed players from both teams.

“What I loved the most… in England everyone always has to be ahead of traffic, but today I love seeing it full to the last minute,” added Kompany. “We enjoyed it with the supporters afterwards, which made the opportunity even greater. It’s our own little trophy.’

The Clarets have only fallen twice this season and have beaten three times less than any other team this season