WE take a look at three talking points from Burnley's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Monday night.

WINGING IT

BURNLEY lacked creativity against the Magpies.

There were too many occasions to count where the Clarets had possession in the central areas but the man on the ball had precious little in the way of forward movement to play a pass to.

Steven Defour and Jack Cork are both excellent ball players but they needed a bit more from Aaron Lennon and Robbie Brady on the flanks. The latter is coming back after a lengthy injury lay off and looked short of match practice but, in the absence of Johann Berg Gudmundsson who was missing through injury, the Clarets didn't have a forward thinking player capable of taking on his man and beating him.

That extra dimension can sometimes be key in unlocking defences and hopefully Gudmundsson recovers in time for the weekend as Burnley seek a spark in the final third.

MISSED CHANCES

ON another day Chris Wood could have had a hat-trick. Instead the Burnley striker was left frustrated after missing several chances.

The frontman had two efforts in the first half, one drawing an excellent save out of Martin Dubravka, but it was after the break where he should have found the net.

A shot on the turn from inside the box was too easy for the visiting goalkeeper while he volleyed over the bar when he really should have hit the target. In tight games at this level, those chances have to go in.

Strikers thrive on confidence and Wood's strike partner Sam Vokes played with plenty and led the line well, taking his goal superbly.

With Ashley Barnes only seeing the final six minutes and Matej Vydra an unused sub it means boss Sean Dyche has some thinking to do in the forward areas ahead of Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace.

DEFENSIVE CONUNDRUM

NEWCASTLE'S two goals were both entirely avoidable from a Burnley point of view.

The first, when Federico Fernandez's shot deflected off Ben Mee and past Joe Hart, was something of a fluke but the Clarets had missed the chance to clear their lines prior to the shot.

The second is a goal that will leave managers tearing their hair out. Ciaran Clark found space in the penalty area that should not have existed. The Magpies captain dropped in between Matt Lowton and Ben Mee and had all the time in the world to glance his header into the far corner, out of reach of the helpless Hart.

As Dyche alluded to after the game it was a goal that Burnley just didn't concede last season.

It seems the defensive problems, which have seen the Clarets ship 27 in 13 Premier League games - only 12 fewer than they conceded in the whole of last season - are proving tricky to pinpoint but whatever it is a solution needs to be found quickly.

Burnley have never been prolific top flight scorers and if they can't keep them out at the other end it could be a long winter.