Burnley vs Brentford
Burnley registered their first win in 11 Premier League games as Vincent Kompany’s relegation-threatened side defeated 10-man Brentford 2-1 at Turf Moor.
The Clarets took the lead through a 10th-minute Jacob Bruun Larsen penalty given after a foul on Vitinho by Sergio Reguilon, who received a straight red card.
David Datro Fofana, having been guilty of a remarkable miss late in the first half, then doubled the advantage with a finish just past the hour mark.
Kristoffer Ajer pulled a goal back for Brentford with eight minutes of normal time to go but Burnley were able to see out what was their first victory of 2024, and only their fourth in the league this season.
An early Burnley attack saw Josh Cullen swing the ball into the box, where Vitinho went to ground following contact from behind from the on-loan Tottenham defender.
VAR intervened and after referee Darren Bond had watched the incident back pitch side, a penalty was awarded, Reguilon was given his marching orders and Bruun Larsen coolly sent the spot-kick past Mark Flekken.
Fofana somehow missed when looking certain to score from close range having been teed up by a cutback.
The loanee was then able to redeem himself in the 62nd minute as he was played in by Wilson Odobert and slotted past Flekken.
Burnley’s push for more included Zeki Amdouni’s shot being held by Flekken before their lead was halved by Ajer heading in a cross from Shandon Baptiste.
We then saw the ball in the Burnley net, but no goal was given with Toney being penalized for a challenge on Muric before the final whistle confirmed three points for the hosts.
Plymouth Argyle vs Preston North End
Preston reignited their play-off hopes with a 1-0 win at his former club Plymouth.
Substitute Liam Millar scored the decisive goal in the 43rd minute after a sweeping move down the left.
The victory lifted North End up to ninth, five points off sixth-placed Norwich with a game in hand.
Millar should have scored in the 20th minute when he latched on to a pass along the edge of the box by Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, chesting the ball down but then firing wide.
Before half-time Liam Lindsay’s deep cross was flicked on by Will Keane and Millar smashed a volley back across goal at the far post and into the corner.
Millar forced a good diving save from Cooper as Preston began the second half on the front foot.
Keane’s long throw from the left was then gathered by an unmarked Stewart, who let fly with a fierce shot which beat Cooper but smashed off the foot of a post.
The full-time whistle blew confirming all three points went home with Preston.
Middlesborough vs Blackburn Rovers
Rovers earned a valuable point on Teesside in an entertaining match that was filled with a lack of quality in the final third.
Sam Szmodics had Rovers' best opportunity, collecting Ryan Hedges' pass, forcing the host's goalkeeper into a smart save.
At the other end, Boro had their chances too. Marcus Forss should have scored at the back post after a corner was flicked on.
The remainder of the half passed by without too much goal-mouth action. Both teams got into some promising areas, but the final pass or touch let them down.
Gallagher tested the reflexes of Dieng after lovely footwork on the edge of the box from Hedges.
Rovers could not take advantage of a massive scramble.
Scott Wharton got the cleanest connection inside the box, but the ball pinballed around and stayed out of the goal, that closed out the last chance for Blackburn.
Rovers are up a place to 17th in the table and remain three points above the relegation zone.
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