Burnley have endured a tough return to the Premier League – and even boss Vincent Kompany admits they are having to get used to the complexities of the top flight.
After cantering to the Championship title last season with 101 points, Kompany’s side have collected just one point from their opening four games this term.
The Clarets started the campaign in torrid fashion, losing three games at home and conceding three or more goals each time.
But they got off the mark in Monday night’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, only missing out on all three points after home debutant Callum Hudson-Odoi superbly cancelled out Zeki Amdouni’s first-half opener.
The outcome could have been so much better for Burnley had Lyle Foster’s late strike not been ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR), who picked up on a handball by Sander Berge in the build-up.
“I have to get used to it,” said Kompany. “In the Championship if it’s in, it’s in.
“I have a decent business and coaching brain, but when it comes to laws and legality I switch off.
“Handball this way or that, they come and explain it to us but I have made a decision to trust what they are doing and have the right intentions.
“It is not something I want to discuss too much, I cannot change it now.”
Foster was sent off late on for an elbowing offence, described by Kompany as “a mistake”.
Kompany ‘excited’ by Burnley potential
It looked like lightning was going to strike twice at the City Ground.
Swiss striker Amdouni had scored a late winner to dump Forest out of the Carabao Cup on 30 August and his opener looked like snatching all three points.
The former Basel player seemingly enjoys playing at the City Ground, with his two goals at the stadium being more than any Forest man has managed on home turf this season. Meanwhile, teenage Burnley winger Luca Koleosho was a constant menace and set up the opening goal.
Kompany said: “You have to fight for every point in this league, but there are a range of teams we can compete with from what I have observed in the four games.
“We have not had a complete performance yet, but today was at least even and depending on which side of the fence you sit, you feel you deserved the win.
“If we can keep improving, our team has so much progress to go and that is the exciting part. In the future there is room for much further improvement.”
After Hudson-Odoi’s stunning 61st-minute equaliser, the game opened up and luck did not go for the away side when searching for a winner.
Foster could have been the hero when his close-range finish was ruled out, before the striker turned villain by being sent off in injury time for a mindless elbow on Ryan Yates.
The South Africa international has contributed two goals and an assist this season, but he will miss three games through violent conduct starting with Saturday’s meeting against Manchester United.
“It is a shame,” Kompany said of the red card. “The effort he puts in for the team, how he is establishing himself in the league you have to put forward first.
“He made a mistake and my take is being a bit cautious. He has been open about mental health in the past so I will step away from it and make sure he is ready for the next game.
“He knows that himself and we have to get him back to the level he was at before the red card.”
