PL REPORT: BURNLEY 0-0 NORWICH CITY

Burnley's search for a first Premier League win of the season goes on as Sean Dyche’s 400th game in charge ended in a tough 0-0 draw against Norwich City.

The Clarets dominated large spells of the fiercely-contested clash but despite raiding the Canaries’ box throughout, were unable to find a breakthrough at a wet and windy Turf Moor.

Dyche’s men piled on the pressure throughout the first half as Matej Vydra, Chris Wood and a steady string of crosses kept the leaky Norwich defence on red alert.

Daniel Farke’s visitors – who lie bottom of the table and came into the match without a point – grew into the contest to cap a helter-skelter second period but after

Matthew Lowton missed a golden opportunity to win it at the death, as Burnley were forced to settle for their third point of the season.

Dyche was forced into two changes from last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Leicester as Aaron Lennon and Nathan Collins made their first Premier League starts of the season in place of the injured Maxwel Cornet – who announced his arrival from Lyon with a stunner at the King Power Stadium – and captain Ben Mee.

And after Turf Moor rose for a minute’s applause to remember England World Cup winner Roger Hunt – who passed away aged 83 last week – it was the visitors who established the first immediate foothold in the contest.

Teemu Pukki robbed Lowton on the edge of the Clarets’ box but when his raking pass found Max Aarons, the Norwich full-back’s shot whistled just wide of a Turf Moor post.

The more direct hosts grew firmly into the battle, however, peppering the Norwich defence with crosses as Wood looked to emulate his double that downed the Canaries in 2019.

And the Clarets could have had a penalty after just 14 minutes when Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul clattered Vydra when attempting to punch clear a free-kick.

Referee Kevin Friend was unmoved but Dyche’s men continued to rain forward, with Wood drifting just offside when in an advanced position and Dwight McNeil curling a free-kick straight at Krul.

Friend once again turned down a possible Clarets spot-kick after half an hour but by this stage it was all Burnley, dominating possession and throwing men forward in pursuit of a deserved breakthrough.

Vydra was proving a thorn in Norwich’s side but Dyche was forced to remove the Czech ace on 35 minutes after his injury saw the introduction of Jay Rodriguez.

That change did little to halt Burnley’s dominance, however, continuing to crank up the pressure as Lowton’s menacing cross was almost diverted into his own net by Matthias Normann.

Fellow Norwich midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou forced Nick Pope into action just before the break but it was the Clarets who finished on top as they bombarded the Norwich box throughout first-half stoppage time.

That pattern showed no signs of stopping after the break as McNeil stung the palms of Krul and Burnley started fluently.

But Norwich came close to taking a shock lead just after as Normann’s fizzing free-kick – after a mazy 50-yard run from Ozan Kabak – drew a save from Pope and Pukki’s low shot was blocked by James Tarkowski.

Then followed a frantic five minutes as Krul punched away Brownhill’s cross and Josh Sargent was strongly dispossessed by Collins after a surging run. Dyche opted to twist on the hour mark and threw on Johann Gudmundsson for Lennon in search of a breakthrough.

But Norwich then went close once again as Normann – the visitors’ brightest spark – saw his rasping shot skim the bar before McNeil was unable to bring down a cross at the Canaries’ back post.

The chaotic second half continued as Burnley enjoyed a sustained spell in the Norwich half and Charlie Taylor was denied another potential penalty by Friend.

And Taylor then proved Burnley’s defensive saviour at the other end as his last-ditch header prevented Aarons getting on the end of Dimitris Giannoulis’ curling cross.

The Clarets continued to knock on the Norwich door, however, with Rodriguez heading wide and Ashley Barnes – who replaced Wood after 80 minutes – was forced wide by Krul.

And then came that late, late chance for Lowton as the Burnley right-back was unable to keep down his header after Josh Brownhill’s deep cross.

BURNLEY: Pope, Lowton, Collins, Tarkowski, Taylor, Lennon (Gudmundsson 60), Brownhill, Westwood, McNeil, Wood (Barnes 80), Vydra (Rodriguez 35)

Subs: Hennessey, Norris, Bardsley, Pieters, Long, Cork.