Well before the final whistle blew, three things were clear: the Burnley manager Scott Parker’s tactical brain is as finely tuned as his dress sense, James Trafford looks a potential England goalkeeper and Leeds often still struggle when Patrick Bamford is not on the team-sheet.
As well as Burnley defended, Parker’s side had Trafford to thank for preserving a morale-boosting win here that could prove significant when the second tier music stops and the promotion places are finally decided next spring.
The Hollywood actor cum Leeds celebrity investor, Will Ferrell, was at Elland Road to watch his first game since becoming a stakeholder in the club and, despite departing downcast by Luca Koleosho’s 18th-minute goal, very nearly had something to celebrate inside the first minute.
When Mateo Joseph found himself clean through with the goal at his mercy, Ferrell seemed poised for celebration, but instead the striker hesitated momentarily and shot wide, leaving a resigned looking Daniel Farke shaking his head. The Leeds manager had left a reportedly fit Bamford out of his matchday squad but, for all his immense potential, Joseph does not look quite ready to spearhead a promotion challenge.
Koleosho swiftly showed him how to finish after capitalising on Manor Solomon’s unfortunate slip and accelerating rapidly into the Leeds half before sliding a shot through Jayden Bogle’s legs and beyond an unsighted Illan Meslier’s reach. As if feeling a sudden burst of autumnal chill, Farke pulled his trademark Parka tight to his body.
Across in the adjacent technical area, Parker braved the weak Yorkshire sunshine in a light jacket and neatly knotted skinny tie. Indeed, with his swept-back, immaculately coiffed collar length hair and perfectly polished brown shoes, the former England midfielder looks more Serie A head coach than Championship manager these days.
Such sharpness is clearly not confined to sartorial matters as, having kicked off in high-pressing mode but struggled to contain Leeds, Parker ordered his team, who had gone three games without a win, to switch to a contain-and-counter approach that left the home side increasingly frustrated.
Nonetheless Farke’s team should arguably have had a penalty when Joe Worrall caught Tottenham loanee Solomon late from behind but, with their protests ignored, Burnley’s lead remained intact.
It was subsequently protected by Trafford. Parker’s England Under-21 goalkeeper showed precisely why Newcastle were so keen to spend £20m on him this summer by making a wonderfully acrobatic save to divert Joseph’s swerving shot.
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Yet although Trafford had also earlier done well to come off his line and charge down a shot from Wilfried Gnonto and would subsequently save smartly to deny Ethan Ampadu, Leeds were failing to make their dominance count and found themselves all too easily second-guessed by visiting markers.
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It did not help the local mood that Burnley were also prone to indulging in a spot of time-wasting. Not that Parker cared as he watched his outfield players take turns to embrace Trafford at the end before finally wrapping his goalkeeper in a lengthy hug of his own. Burnley’s reduction to 10 men when Bashir Humphreys was sent off deep in stoppage time for a second yellow card proved academic.