Sean Dyche discusses improvement of former Leeds United trio Chris Wood, Charlie Taylor and Bailey Peacock-Farrell at Burnley

BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche has hailed the impact of former Leeds United trio Chris Wood, Charlie Taylor and Bailey Peacock-Farrell, saying all three have improved in different ways since leaving the Whites.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

All three players left Leeds as a Championship side for Burnley in the space of two years with Taylor the first to depart to join the Premier League Clarets in July 2017.

Whites Academy graduate Taylor had been out of contract and United received compensation for losing the services of a player who was under 24 years of age with the fee believed to be between £6m and £7m.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wood, who had finished the 2016-17 season as the Championship's top scorer with 27 goals, then followed Taylor across the Pennines two months later in a deal worth around £15m - a Burnley club record fee.

FAMILIAR FACES: Burnley's former Leeds United duo Charlie Taylor, right, and Chris Wood. Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images.FAMILIAR FACES: Burnley's former Leeds United duo Charlie Taylor, right, and Chris Wood. Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images.
FAMILIAR FACES: Burnley's former Leeds United duo Charlie Taylor, right, and Chris Wood. Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

Peacock-Farrell then joined the duo at Turf Moor two years on with the Northern Ireland international moving to the Clarets for around £3.5m in July 2019.

Since moving, Taylor has amassed 101 appearances for the Clarets whilst New Zealand international Wood now has 123 Burnley appearances under his belt and 41 goals, 37 of which have come in the Premier League.

Peacock-Farrell has been stuck behind England international Nick Pope and has made just the three appearances for the Clarets but Dyche has hailed the improvement of all three since leaving Elland Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The trio will now come up against their former side in Sunday's Premier League clash against the newly-promoted Whites in a 12 noon kick-off at Elland Road.

Asked initially how much Wood had improved since joining Burnley, Dyche said: "Charlie Taylor as well, two players from Leeds, and obviously Bailey Peacock as well and I think all of them players have improved in different ways.

"Obviously Bailey has been sitting behind Popey but he is definitely improving.

"He is physically improving, he's bigger in his stature and how he is going about his business.

"Charlie Taylor I felt the other night was excellent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The more he plays forward and the more we encourage to him play forward he seems to grow and improve constantly with that side of his game and I think that's important and defensively we know he can defend, he is quick and he is strong.

"And Woody, his goals prove over time here that at top level football he is capable.

"Them three out of Leeds have all been good for us so far.

"We want them to continue of course, continue developing, continue improving and continue being effective."

Burnley were promoted out of the Championship as champions in 2016 with Dyche having been in charge since October 2012.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Clarets boss has faced Leeds nine times as a manager at either former club Watford or Burnley, recording five wins, two losses and two draws.

Eight of those clashes came in the Championship with the other being an EFL Cup tie.

Asked how much Leeds had improved under Bielsa since their Championship days, Dyche pondered: "I don't watch them every week so I don't know how much the improvement is and measurable other than the fact they are in the Premier League so that's the first big improvement.

"You have got to get out of the Championship and it's a tough division and they are faring well in the Premier League so far so there's obvious improvement there.

"The measurability of it will be for them to decide.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"For me it's just another team, another game and another team who have earned the right to be in the Premier League.

"We take them all seriously and we will certainly be taking Leeds seriously."

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890.

We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds.

Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Click here to subscribe.

For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.

Thank you Laura Collins