West Brom 1 Burnley 2: Five things we learned

After 45 minutes against Everton and 30 minutes at West Ham, Sean Dyche gave into temptation at the Hawthorns and unleashed Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood from the start.

What a partnership this is turning into for the Clarets. Both were on the scoresheet again in the Midlands, Barnes for the fourth game in a row and Wood for the third.

They have now played 152 minutes together since being united at half-time against Everton and have plundered seven goals in the process, at a scarcely believable goal every 21 minutes.

There was little sign of this link-up in the first half of the season, but since Wood’s return from injury they have developed an excellent understanding that is causing defences plenty of problems.

This isn’t the first time Barnes and Wood have been tormenting the opposition. They enjoyed a fruitful spell together with Brighton in League One in 2010/11, helping to fire the Seagulls to promotion, and they look to have rediscovered that understanding in the Premier League.

Having struggled for goals for large parts of the season Burnley’s problems in that department are suddenly a thing of the past thanks to their deadly duo.

SIX OF THE BEST

It’s back-to-back away wins for the Clarets once again and they now have six wins on the road for the season.

In fact Burnley have won more points away from home this season than they have at Turf Moor, which is a remarkable transformation from last term, when 33 of their 40 points were secured at home.

Sean Dyche’s side now look an assured outfit on the road, comfortable in their surroundings and with a knowhow of how to get the job done.

Having won just three of their first 36 Premier League away games under Dyche, Burnley have won seven of their last 18, starting with that fine day at Selhurst Park last April.

100 UP

This was a significant day for Dyche as he brought up his century of wins as Burnley boss.

There’s little more that can be said to define Dyche’s tenure at Turf Moor. The transformation has been incredible, the pace of change breathtaking.

The 100th win has edged the Clarets closer to Europe and they now have 46 points with eight games to go.

A relegation battle hasn’t been on the agenda since the first couple of months of the season, but Burnley will almost certainly secure mathematical safety next week. It’s a milestone that will pass without fanfare, but had you been told at the start of the season that this side would be guaranteed survival with seven games to go nobody would have believed it.

WESTWOOD

Burnley were dominant in midfield on Saturday, with Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood enjoying time on the ball, especially in the first half.

The midfield pair got the Clarets moving, regularly spreading play wide to the full-backs and playing the ball forward to the feet of Barnes and Wood.

The level of domination is shown in the passing stats, with Westwood’s 69 passes the most in the game while Cork was second with 62.

The last time Dyche went with two in attack, at Swansea in February, it was Westwood who missed out in midfield, with Jeff Hendrick dropped deeper. But Westwood has done enough in recent weeks to keep his place despite the switch in formation and he repaid that faith with an excellent display against the Baggies.

JAY ROD

‘Jay Rodriguez, he’s one of our own’ was belted out from the away end when the former Turf Moor academy graduate’s names was read out before kick-off, and then again when he was withdrawn shortly after Burnley’s second goal.

The TV camera cut to Rodriguez on the bench not long after he’d made way and the disappointment was etched all over his face. This has been a forgettable season for the 28-year-old.

He was given a rapturous reception from the travelling Clarets before the game began and surely fans and player would welcome a more permanent reunion in the summer.

It was a move discussed at Burnley a year ago, but with West Brom’s relegation now all but certain, the striker could be on the market again soon enough.