Lancashire

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley head coach Scott Parker spoke to BBC Sport following their 5-0 win at Plymouth.

"I thought we were superb tonight," he said.

"We came here with a real clear idea and a game plan. We set that up as coaches, it's down to players to then execute and the players were absolutely first class.

"We needed to come here with a mentality and mindset about us, this is a tough place to come, I know people look at league tables and may see a very different story.

"But a new manager in, an aggressive team, I played against this coach once in Belgium and had some struggles in a sense of how he sets up teams, so I knew the challenge here.

"We were just ruthless tonight. I thought we had everything about us."

Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Rex Features

With 10 minutes still to play in the first half at Home Park, Scott Parker was walking calmy back and forth along the touchline, a few paces one way and then a few back, his hands in his pockets, his green jacket keeping him warm, as it has done so far this winter.

His team had just scored a third goal, the first time since August they'd scored more than twice in league game.

By half-time they'd scored two more. The game was over at the break.

A team which has been built on solid foundations, just nine goals against in 28 games so far. Solid foundations and the rest will follow, at least that's the theory. Tonight it was, empathically.

Ruthless in front of goal, the gulf between the two sides was stark.

Unlike the gulf between the top four, there is currently nothing in it.

The top four have all won in this midweek round of fixtures.

Perhaps its points against each other that might be the difference between finishing in the top two, and missing out.

It's Leeds United next for Burnley on Monday night.

New Preston North End signing Jayden Meghoma grabbed his first assist for the club when he set up team-mate Milutin Osmajic for an opener in their 2-1 win over Watford.

"It's an amazing feeling," Meghoma told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The main thing for me is to impress the fans and to give them a show, to make sure we get the three points all the time."

The Brentford loanee joined North End on Thursday and has featured in both of Preston's Championship matches since linking up with the squad.

The Lilywhites also claimed a point in a goalless draw at Luton Town last Saturday.

The move from the Bees has given the teenager his first taste of life in the Championship and, so far, it has appeared seamless.

"It's been fantastic," Meghoma added. "Everybody's been brilliant so it's an easy place to settle into."

Ross Heaton
BBC Radio Lancashire Sport

Image source, Rex Features

Montenegrin Milutin Osmajic returned to the dressing room at full-time with team-mate Ryan Ledson leading a rendition of a terrace song sung by Preston North End fans – a clear sign of the appreciation of his match-winning performance.

His strength and power were simply too much for the Watford backline who could only resort to fouling him in order to prevent his progress.

He scored two goals with different finishes...

Firstly, a sublime left-footed cross from debutant Jayden Meghoma saw Osmajic dart into the six-yard box to apply the decisive touch from close range.

His second, after the break, came from a move he started - outmuscling his man, he laid off the ball neatly to Mads Frokjaer-Jensen before spinning in behind and emphatically smashing it home at the near post.

Brains and brawn combined on a night he moved into double figures for the season.

Leeds United are interested in Burnley attacking midfielder Mike Tresor, who has also been linked with a move to Dutch side Ajax. (Sports Witness, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip here.

Image source, Rex Features

Preston assistant Stuart McCall stood in for Paul Heckingbottom at the post-match press conference following the manager's red card at half time.

He said the win was built on solid preparation work and a fine defensive display, telling BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We trained this morning and discussed how we wanted to come and play and overall it was another strong defensive performance.

"There was a little slip - you don't let (Rocco) Vata come inside on his right foot, and it was a really good goal by the kid.

"But we're delighted with the victory but obviously with the level of performance as well."

Plymouth Argyle are five points adrift from safety at the bottom of the Championship following a 1-0 defeat at home to QPR on Saturday, which extended their winless run in the league to 13 games (D6 L7).

New boss Miron Muslic is still searching for his first league win with the Pilgrims, who welcome promotion-chasing Burnley to Home Park.

Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford saved two penalty kicks from Wilson Isidor in the closing stages of their last game against Sunderland to secure a goalless draw and extend their unbeaten run to 14 games (W8 D6).

Scott Parker's side also boast a formidable defensive record, keeping 18 clean sheets in 27 games, conceding nine goals so far.

• Plymouth have lost one of their past eight home EFL games against Burnley (W4 D3 L1), though that defeat did come in the most recent such meeting in March 2009 (1-2).

• Burnley have won each of their past two league games against Plymouth and will be looking to win three successive such games for the first time since October 1937.

• Plymouth have won two of their 18 midweek league games since their promotion to the Championship in 2023 (W2 D6 L10), though 10 of those 12 points have come at Home Park (W2 D4 L3).

• Burnley are unbeaten in each of their past seven away league games (W5 D2), keeping a clean sheet in six of those matches.

• Burnley's Zian Flemming has netted three goals in his past four away league appearances in the Championship, while he both scored and assisted in his only previous league game at Home Park with Millwall in October 2023.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley have made a new bid for Plymouth forward Morgan Whittaker.

The offer, a package of around £5m plus add-ons, falls well below Argyle's valuation of the player. It is the second approach Burnley have made in this transfer window.

Burnley failed with two attempts to sign the 24-year-old in the summer and have returned this window, although money is tight at Turf Moor and they are unlikely to offer as much this time.

The Clarets are third in the Championship and travel to bottom side Plymouth on Wednesday but have struggled in the final third all season.

Only 12th-placed QPR have scored fewer than Burnley's 31 goals this term among the teams in the top half of the second tier.

Middlesbrough are also reportedly interested in Whittaker as a potential replacement for Emmanuel Latte Lath as they remain in talks with Atlanta United, who want to bring the striker to the MLS.

Whittaker has scored four goals in 22 games for Plymouth - including the winner in their shock 1-0 win at Brentford in the FA Cup this month.

The former Derby County and Swansea City forward has scored 24 times in 103 games since joining Plymouth from the Swans, initially on loan, in 2022.

Lazio made an offer for Whittaker in last year's January transfer window but he stayed at Home Park to score 20 goals last season.

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford is still on Newcastle United's radar after they offered £16m for the 22-year-old in June 2024 but the Premier League side are more likely to try and sign Trafford next summer. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Burnley boss Scott Parker says new signing Jonjo Shelvey has "something to prove" upon his return to English football.

Shelvey, 32, left Nottingham Forest in September 2023 to sign for Turkish side Caykur Rizespor, before moving on to their Super Lig competitors Eyupspor the following year.

Having being released at the start of this month, the midfielder has joined the Clarets on a free transfer for the remainder of the season after a successful trial period.

"You can instantly see his quality," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire. "He's not on the back-end of where he is, he's still got plenty left in him."

The five-capped England international spent seven years with Newcastle United, helping them to win promotion from the Championship in his first season - and Parker is hoping he can repeat that feat with the Clarets, who lie third in the table.

"I think he brings something different to what we've got in those positions," Parker added.

"He brings experience and something to prove as well coming back into England.

"This is a massive opportunity for him now. Back in England, back in a good football club - it's a platform for Jonjo as well."