It has been almost 18 months since Scott Parker last took charge of a match but, on this evidence, the former England midfielder has certainly picked up a few managerial tips. A clinical display from his Burnley team against a Luton side that is also trying to bounce back from being relegated last season sealed a deserved victory courtesy of first-half goals from Josh Brownhill and Wilson Odobert, with Dara O’Shea and Vitinho wrapping things up after Tahith Chong had briefly raised hopes of a comeback.
Parker’s last managerial appointment ended up with him being sacked by Club Brugge after just 12 games in charge and has admitted that a chat with Thomas Tuchel during Bayern Munich’s mid-season training camp in Portugal last year helped to reinvigorate him. Stepping into Vincent Kompany’s shoes after he joined the German giants at the end of last season is certainly within his capabilities having led Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship and he will have been delighted that Burnley’s players appear to have bought into his philosophy immediately.
With the chief executive Gary Sweet having revealed in his pre-match programme notes that the capacity of the club’s planned new stadium – due to open in 2027 – has been extended from 17,000 to 25,000, Luton’s fortunes appeared to be on the up on a balmy evening in Bedfordshire. Aside from Ross Barkley, most of those who fought so valiantly for Premier League survival last season remain at the club, while – perhaps most importantly – they also managed to retain the services of their inspirational manager, Rob Edwards. He described the selection of the teenagers Joe Johnson and Zack Nelson in his first team of the season as “a celebration of our academy” and also handed a first start to another teenager – Reuell Walters, who has joined on a free transfer from Arsenal.
Sadly for the 19-year-old, he was left exposed by a perfectly weighted pass from new signing Lucas Pires in the sixth minute as Josh Brownhill raced through and beat Thomas Kaminski with a shot that went through his legs. Parker, who had to repeatedly push back his flowing locks as he prowled the touchline, has admitted that the bloated squad of 37 players he inherited from Vincent Kompany following their relegation last season will be “challenging”. But his side were well-organised in defence thanks to the calm presence of Maxime Estève and looked dangerous on the break through the energetic Luca Koleosho and Odobert as Luton struggled to mount a riposte.
Elijah Adebayo’s tame shot that was easily saved by James Trafford just after Burnley had taken the lead was the closest they came to an equaliser in the opening half an hour as the home supporters began to direct their frustration at the referee Matt Donohue. Their mood was not improved when Odobert was allowed the freedom of Kenilworth Road to latch on to a long ball from Connor Roberts and make it 2-0. “Easy, easy, easy,” taunted the Burnley fans. James Trafford was shown a yellow card for time-wasting at the end of the first half but it was Luton who looked like they wanted the half to be over as they struggled to keep their composure.
The hosts at least showed more intent at the start of the second half as a move started by a lovely pirouette at the back from Johnson ended with Adebayo’s header bouncing back off the crossbar and into the grateful Trafford’s arms. But it needed a timely intervention from Johnson to block Vitinho’s shot after a brilliant run from Luca Koleosho that earned Nelson a booking for pulling back the Italy Under-21 forward. Kaminski then came to Luton’s rescue with a brilliant one-handed save from Dara O’Shea’s piledriver following a corner.
Two minutes later, the hosts were back in the game. Alfie Doughty’s clever cushioned header from Sheldon Baptiste’s deep cross picked out Chong and he could not miss from close range. Suddenly the momentum was all in one direction and Nelson saw his deflected shot from the edge of the box saved as Luton piled forward. Yet they continued to look vulnerable to conceding a third goal on the break and Pires managed to wriggle free at the other end following a corner and force Kaminsky into a save.
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The Brazilian was to provide the game’s crucial moment minutes later, however, when his corner was met by O’Shea at the near post and the Republic of Ireland defender made no mistake. A surging run through the middle of Luton’s midfield from Lyle Foster ended up with Vitinho curling home the fourth to round off the perfect start for Parker.