ERIK Pieters felt Norwich played into Burnley's hands as the Clarets got back in the groove at Turf Moor on Saturday.

After a flat performance against Brighton seven days earlier, Sean Dyche saw a marked improvement from his side as they picked up a second Premier League win of the season with a 2-0 victory. 

Chris Wood scored both goals early in the piece on a routine afternoon for the home side as the Canaries failed to hit the heights that saw them knock off Manchester City.

Dyche had his side press Norwich high as the visitors tried to play out from the back, something Pieters believes suited Burnley down to the ground.

"The way they play, from the back, helped us," said the Dutchman, who has played every minute in the Premier League since his summer move from Stoke. 

"We pressed them 100 per cent, didn't give them any time.

"It helped us going forward and pressing and winning the ball and then scoring the goals as well.

"If they were a bit sharper, a bit more clinical - they had the first chance and if they'd have scored that goal it would have been a different game.

"They didn't score and we scored two shortly after."

After Temmu Pukki was denied one-on-one by Nick Pope, it was Wood who got off the mark for the season having seen strike partner Ashley Barnes hog the limelight so far.

The Kiwi's goals gave the Clarets the perfect platform to get back to winning ways after Jeff Hendrick's stoppage-time goal had rescued a point on the south coast seven days earlier.

"It was good - much better than the second half against Brighton," said Pieters.

"It helps that we scored the two early goals.

"If we had scored two early goals against Brighton then it would have helped us but today was a good performance for 90 minutes.

"We knew we had to do better than last weekend. It was a home game against a good team and we knew we had go and give everything.

"I think it was an advantage for us (Norwich playing out from the back) but when they come out there's a danger.

"We can be really pleased with the performance."

Pieters had spoken pre-match about his friendly rivalry with good mate and Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul, the pair having met aged 17 when playing internationally for the Netherlands youth teams.

The left back was pleased to get one over on his old friend, a goal all that was missing for him.

"I'm happy now!" Pieters said with a smile.

"We spoke about it and we are realistic that we deserved to win the game.

"It was a good game from us and I wish him all the best for the rest of the season.

"It gave me the extra edge to play against my mate.

"I tried to score in the second half but Barnesy didn't give me the ball!"

The result leaves Burnley ninth in the early table and Pieters believes that is key even at this stage.

"It was an important win because if we lost points today then you're down towards the bottom of the table," said the 31-year-old defender.

"We've now got eight points so we're looking up rather than down."