Salford City 0-4 Burnley: Vincent Kompany’s hotshots breeze into the Carabao Cup fourth round as the Premier League visitors dominate in the knockout clash

• Burnley have comfortably qualified for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup
• Vincent Kompany’s side starred against League Two opposition on Tuesday
• Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here

Vincent Kompany’s affinity for the Carabao Cup shows no sign of waning. A four-time winner with Manchester City as a player, this competition has provided some early comfort for Burnley and so it proved once again in Salford.

Burnley’s sole win so far this campaign came in the previous round against Nottingham Forest and there was not a second’s doubt in this little part of Greater Manchester that another triumph would follow.

Perhaps it is fanciful to think Burnley will give Kompany a fifth gong to go with the ones he collected in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019 but progress into round four will do for now and the chance to indulge in some target practice was gleefully received.

Though Kompany made 11 changes to the team that had lost 1-0 to Manchester United last Saturday, the gulf in class between Burnley and their League Two opponents was staggering – we hoped for a contest, instead we got a mis-match.

Sander Berge opened the scoring in the 12th minute, heading in a corner from Anass Zaroury – the first of three assists. Jacob Bruun Larsen doubled the advantage shortly after, a lovely finish after latching onto a fine through ball, before Dara O’Shea bundled in a third.

Burnley advanced to the Carabao Cup fourth round after breezing past Salford City

Vincent Kompany’s affinity for the Carabao Cup shows no sign of waning as Burnley eased to victory

As much as Zaroury would have liked to have claimed the key contribution, that belonged to Salford keeper Alex Cairns, who spilt the Moroccan’s corner.

Salford, who have lost their last five games, were desperate and never threatened to recreate last month’s heroics when they knocked Leeds out. The fizz in the air that evening, when they triumphed after a draining penalty shootout, was nowhere to be seen as Burnley put the game in a stranglehold.

Kompany, studiously looking on from underneath his baseball cap, would have been delighted with the contribution of Zaroury – one of the key figures in last season’s promotion push – whose quick feet and desire to play with imagination enlivened proceedings.

Jack Cork, similarly, was authoritative playing, unusually, as a central defender. Kompany wants his team to always be in control and the club captain’s rhythmic passing enabled Burnley to move quickly forward on the rare occasions Salford reached their final third.

The only surprise, after establishing such a commanding advantage, was the fact the goals dried up afterwards and they didn’t really threaten until Wilson Odobert wriggled clear in the box in the 67th minute before shooting straight at Alex Cairns.

This was an important night for Odobert, a player for whom Burnley has high hopes, and the summer signing from Troyes – he cost £10million – got his reward when rifling in, on an angle, from 12 yards following a cross from Zaroury. A fitting end, then, to a comfortable night.

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