Burnley denied Aston Villa a much-needed victory after coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.
Joe Cole gave the Villans the lead when he slotted in at the front post from Andreas Weimann's cross.
With three minutes of the game left to play Danny Ings scored from the penalty spot after Jores Okore had brought down Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Ings then hit the post in stoppage time and Jutkiewicz headed wide as the Clarets extended their unbeaten run to three matches.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Good afternoon everyone! There is a packed schedule of Premier League football taking place across the country, but our focus here will be on the events taking place at Turf Moor as Burnley play host to Aston Villa.
The Clarets may be struggling in the relegation zone, but they come into today's match in their best form of the season. They picked up their first win since promotion against Hull City before the international break and followed that up last weekend with an impressive 2-1 victory at Stoke City.
Their opponents this afternoon are a Villa side who are without a win in their last eight league games. Fans have quickly forgotten their promising form in the early weeks of the season where they won three of their first four matches and manager Paul Lambert is a man firmly under pressure.
Before I go any further, the teams have been announced, so let's take a look at who will be stepping out onto Turf Moor when the match kicks off at 3pm.
BURNLEY XI: Heaton, Trippier, Shackell, Keane, Ward, Kightly, Marney, Jones, Boyd, Barnes, Ings
ASTON VILLA XI: Guzan, Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissokho, Westwood, Sanchez, Cleverley, Cole, Weimann, Agbonlahor
BURNLEY SUBS: Gilks, Mee, Long, Arfield, Sordell, Jutkiewicz, Wallace
ASTON VILLA SUBS: Given, Bacuna, Richardson, N'Zogbia, Lowton, Robinson, Grealish
Burnley have made one change to their side following last weekend's victory at the Britannia. Michael Duff is the man who makes way, with Michael Keane coming into the defence. Forward duo Danny Ings and Ashley Barnes will be hoping to add to their recent winning goals, while there is a place on the bench for Scott Arfield, who missed their last match through injury.
Meanwhile, the visitors have also made just the one change, as Joe Cole starts in place of Charles N'Zogbia. Ron Vlaar, Philippe Senderos and Nathan Baker are still injured so Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore are once again the centre-back pairing, while Christian Benteke is serving the last game of his three-match suspension.
It has certainly been a tough start to the season for Burnley and their supporters will have been fearing the worst after seeing their side lose six of their opening 10 league matches and not pick up a single victory.
They were rock bottom of the table and were starting to get cut adrift before they took on Hull three weeks ago. On that occasion a single goal from Ashley Barnes was enough to claim the points and give them their first win of the season.
Their next assignment was a tricky looking away fixture at Stoke, but they were quickly two goals ahead thanks to a couple of strikes in the space of a minute from Danny Ings. Although the Potters pulled a goal back, Burnley held on for their first away victory and finally moved off the bottom of the table.
Those two results have breathed a renewed sense of optimism into their campaign and Sean Dyche will want his team to carry that form into the festive period. After today, they will host Newcastle in midweek, before facing Queens Park Rangers in a huge relegation clash next weekend. It doesn't get any easier, as they will end the year with a tricky looking run of games against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City.
In stark contrast to the good recent form of Burnley, it has been a torrid couple of months for Aston Villa. Things started so well for them, as they picked up three wins in their first four matches, including notable victories at Stoke and Liverpool.
However, that was brought to an end by a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in mid-September, which began a run of six losses in a row. They stopped the rot by picked up a goalless draw against Aston Villa at the start of the month and were nine minutes away from picking up a win against Southampton on Monday evening, before Nathaniel Clyne salvaged his side a 1-1 draw.
It seems that every week there is a new distraction for Paul Lambert to deal with. Just yesterday, his assistant manager Roy Keane left his position after struggling to combine the job with his role at the Republic of Ireland. They could also be set to lose captain Ron Vlaar, after the defender's agent claimed that he is looking to move when his contract ends next summer.
Aston Villa have the upper hand in their previous meetings with Burnley. Of the 114 times they have played, Villa have won 49 games, with Burnley victorious on 40 occasions. They last met four years ago in a League Cup fourth-round tie, where the Villans claimed a 2-1 win after extra-time.
They may have played each other plenty of times before, but this will be only their third meeting in the Premier League. On their last clash at Turf Moor in 2009, Burnley were on their way to a victory thanks to Steven Caldwell's goal, but a late strike from Emile Heskey salvaged Villa a 1-1 draw. It was much more one-sided when they played in the reverse fixture a few months later, a Villa romped to a 5-2 win.
PREDICTION: There is no doubt that Burnley have all the momentum going into today's game. They will be full of confidence and have a great chance to claim a third-successive victory. As for Villa, they just can't seem to catch a break and it could prove to be another tough season for them. I don't think we will see many goals, but I am going to tip the hosts to edge a 1-0 win this afternoon.
You've heard my prediction of the match, now check out what the guys on the sofa think with our video preview.
The teams are out on the pitch and we are now just a few minutes away from kick off.
KICKOFF! We are underway at Turf Moor!
It's been a very good start to the match by Villa and they threaten early on when Hutton bursts down the left and whips a teasing ball into the box. Agbonlahor manages to get onto it and touches it just wide of the post, but the flag was raised on the far side.
OFF THE LINE! Villa continue to look the more dangerous side and they win a corner when Agbonlahor's low shot deflects wide of the post. From the resulting set piece, Okore's effort heads towards the far post, but Marney manages to head it off the line.
Burnley have started to grow into the game and Hutton has to be alert to block a shot from Ings. This game is proving quite enjoyable to watch at the moment and Villa in particular are showing no signs of lacking in confidence.
The visitors are looking very dangerous from set pieces and they come close to scoring again when Clark meets Westwood's corner before seeing it hit Marney and head behind at the back post.
CHANCE! This would have been a fine goal from Kightly had it found the back of the net. The winger does brilliantly to latch onto a ball inside the box, before clipping it over the head of Cole and driving an effort towards the far corner that heads just wide of the post with Guzan at full stretch.
The Clarets have another opportunity to put pressure on the Villa defence when they win a free kick by the right-hand touchline. Jones is the man who whips it in with his left foot towards the back post, but it is just too strong for Shackell who can't make any contact as it heads behind.
CHANCE! Agbonlahor will be kicking himself here. The striker is slipped through on goal after some good build up play from Cole, but his low strike from the edge of the box is weak and goes straight into the gloves of Heaton.
Villa will certainly feel that they have created enough chances to have scored, but their form in front of goal has been poor in recent weeks. Burnley have also threatened, but at this moment in time the visitors look the more likely to break the deadlock.
It's another shot on goal for Villa, who have reached double figures already just midway into the first half. This time Cleverley is fed the ball in plenty of space around 25 yards out, but his drive is quite easily saved by the keeper down low to his right.
The inclusion of Cole in the Villa side has added some much needed spark to their attack. The former England international is showing some fine touches on the ball and you feel that he could make the difference this afternoon.
YELLOW CARD! Kightly is the first player to pick up a booking this afternoon for tugging back Hutton as the full back looked to charge in behind him down the right.
Burnley finally manage their first shot on target. Boyd is the man who has the effort as he steals the ball from Sanchez 30 yards from goal. He gets the ball out of his feet and lashes in a strike, but it ends up heading straight down the middle and into Guzan's gloves.
This has been a good spell in the game for Burnley, who have managed to string a number of passes together for the first time. They are still not looking too threatening in the final third, but they are not coming under as much pressure as they did in the early stages of the game.
YELLOW CARD! Burnley have another player in the referee's noteback, as Marney is shown yellow for going in hard on Clark. The ball was there to be won by both players, but it was a deserved caution.
GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Aston Villa (Joe Cole)
This is a great moment for Cole, who scores on his first league start for Villa. Weimann deserves a lot of credit for some good play on the right and when he delivered a low ball towards the front post, Cole was there to stretch out a foot and turn it into the net pat Heaton.
YELLOW CARD! Cleverley is the third player this afternoon to be shown a card for a foul on Trippier.
CHANCE! Guzan hasn't had too much to deal with in this half, but he had to be alert when Ings let fly with a snap-shot from the edge of the box. Once again the ball was straight at the keeper, but there was a lot of power behind it and he did well to palm the ball away to safety.
YELLOW CARD! The referee hasn't been shy to hand out the cards and Hutton goes into the book for dragging down Boyd by the touchline.
YELLOW CARD! It's another card and this time Barnes is booked. He is shown the yellow for using his hands to direct ball onto the post from a free kick.
HALF-TIME: Burnley 0-1 Aston Villa
That just about does it for the first half, with Aston Villa deservedly in front against Burnley. Joe Cole's first goal for the club separates the sides and I don't think there can be too many complaints about the scoreline.
Villa have slightly dominated the possession statistics and they have seen 52% of the ball. They have also had plenty of efforts on goal, with 13 shots compared to just five from Burnley. It's worth mentioning that we have seen five bookings already and I wouldn't put it past referee Graham Scott showing a red card in the second half.
This is such a crucial half-time team-talk for both managers. Paul Lambert will be desperate for his players to hold on and end their eight-game winless run in the league. I'm sure Sean Dyche will have some strong words for his players, but at just a goal down there is every chance of them still coming out on top today.
Burnley take the kick off and get the second half started!
CHANCE! The hosts have started the half strongly and they have already had a sight of the goal. Ings does well to get to the byline, before pulling the ball back to Boyd who fires in a strike, but Hutton is there to make a crucial block.
Although Burnley have played some decent football since the break, Villa are still looking very dangerous on the break. They have found a lot of space on the flanks and when they attack down the right the hosts are looking very exposed.
Weimann forces Heaton into making his first save of the half, but it's quite a simple one. The Austrian had found himself in plenty of space 25 yards out from goal, but ended up driving a low shot right down the middle.
CHANCE! Burnley come so close to grabbing an equaliser. Ings wins a long-ball in the air and flicks the ball on for the arriving Kightly. The winger then bursts forward and finds himself facing Guzan, but the keeper blocks his effort from point-blank range.
CHANCE! The game is starting to open up a bit more now and down the other end of the pitch Weimann lashes in a strike from the edge of the box, but Heaton does well to beat the ball away.
CHANCE! It's another decent opening for Burnley. Following a decent attack, the ball eventually comes through to Trippier on the right wing. He whips a great cross into the middle, but after getting away from his marker, Ings flicks a header wide of the far post.
After all those recent goal attempts, it has become a little bit scrappy. The possession stats are now 50/50 between the teams and Villa have just lot their grip of the match.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Burnley have made a double change, with Arfield and Jutkiewicz coming on for Barnes and Kightly.
CHANCE! Jutkiewicz almost finds the net just moments after coming on. The striker arrives at the front post to meet Trippier's superb free kick, but he doesn't make clean contact with the ball and ends up diverting it across goal and wide of the target.
SUBSTITUTION: Villa have made their first change of the match, with Grealish replacing the goalscorer Cole.
Villa have begun to see a lot more of the ball and they are keeping it well deep inside the Burnley half. Their makeshift defence has dealt well with the improved threat from the hosts this half, but you would expect them to come under a lot more pressure as the game enters the final stages.
The visitors are awarded a free kick in a decent position just outside the box after Boyd brings down Cleverley. Sanchez steps up to take the set piece, but his drilled effort fails to trouble the keeper and goes wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION: It's another change for Villa, as Richardson comes on for Weimann.
Burnley haven't been able to put together any decent attacks over the past 10 minutes and they don't look like getting back into the game. Villa are still doing all the pressing and Cissokho works a decent opening when he delivers a great cross from the left, but none of his teammates were in the box to make contact.
SUBSTITUTION: Burnley make their final change of the match, with Wallace replacing Jones.
PENALTY TO BURNLEY! What a huge moment in the match as the hosts are awarded a spot kick. The referee gives it when Jutkiewicz looks to latch onto a ball over the top and is dragged down by Okore just inside the box.
GOAL! Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa (Danny Ings)
Ings steps up to the spot and makes no mistake with a powerful finish past Guzan. It is a massive blow for Villa, but is there enough time for the home side to go on and grab all three points?
There are going to be five minutes of stoppage time.
CHANCE! Burnley come close to scoring a second goal twice inside the space of a minute. Firstly Ings is found inside the box and pokes an effort against the post, before Jutkiewicz meets a cross from the right, but heads the ball inches wide.
What a difference a goal makes. Burnley are full of confidence and there is only one team that looks like winning now. They keep putting pressure on the Villa defence, but Boyd's cross from the left after getting in behind is well cleared.
CHANCE! Well, very nearly Villa steal the points right at the death! A sliced clearance at the back falls to Grealish on the edge of the box. He then tries to volley the ball into the corner past Heaton, but the keeper gets down well to save.
FULL-TIME: Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa
It's all over at Turf Moor and after a thrilling end to the match Burnley have salvaged a 1-1 draw. It looked like Villa were on course to end their long winless run, but Danny Ings fired home from the spot to break their hearts.
That's all we've got time for here. Please stay with us as we bring you analysis and player ratings from all of today's Premier League matches. Until next time, goodbye!
