Leeds United hold on to beat Burnley courtesy of Patrick Bamford penalty

Leeds United recovered from their 6-2 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United last Sunday by beating Burnley 1-0 at Elland Road.

The first half was characterised by errors from Burnley and the first one cost them dearly. Nick Pope came charging out of his goal to challenge Patrick Bamford and took out the striker, who took the penalty himself and stroked it home.

Leeds would have been further ahead were it not for Bamford inadvertently blocking Jack Harrison's goal-bound effort after an error from Ben Mee, while Rodrigo headed over after combining brilliantly with Harrison.

Burnley produced precious little but were rightly aggrieved not to be level when Mee was controversially adjudged to have fouled Illan Meslier, who dropped a set piece into Ashley Barnes' path. The striker put the ball into the back of the net but the whistle had gone. Replays showed that the French goalkeeper was arguably the player fouling Mee.

The Clarets returned from the interval with renewed industry, peppering the Leeds box with a series of crosses, with which the likes of Kalvin Phillips dealt well.

Leeds came closest to doubling their lead when Pablo Hernandez forced a fingertip save from Pope when he should perhaps have fed a team-mate for a simpler finish, while Meslier beat away a ferocious volley from Barnes.

For all their possession, it was not enough for Burnley to continue their four-game unbeaten run. They sit 16th, while the win leaves Leeds in 11th.

VAR is as tedious a topic as Brexit in the United Kingdom but once again, we saw it applied inconsistently today. Meslier certainly was not fouled by Mee when Ashley Barnes had the ball in the back of the net. Indeed, he was arguably the aggressor and could well have given away a penalty.

Burnley did not play well enough to deserve a point here but fairness is not something that is generally factored into a relegation scrap. An equaliser would have changed the course of the entire match and the anger from Mee himself, Sean Dyche and his assistant Ian Woan was entirely justified.

Leeds were at their best in the first half and all of their attacking play came through Raphinha. He was the most threatening attacking player on either side and it is sorely unfair that he came away from this match with no assists to his name, having created a number of chances. But this victory was the product of a team effort from Leeds. At the front, Rodrigo also shone, while Luke Ayling and Kalvin Phillips were impressive defensively.

Leeds: Meslier 6, Dallas 6, Ayling 7, Struijk 6, Alioski 6, Raphinha 7, Klich 6, Phillips 7, Rodrigo 7, Harrison 7, Bamford 7. Subs: Poveda 6, Hernandez 7, Shackleton 6

Burnley: Pope 5, Lowton 6, Tarkowski 7, Mee 5, Taylor 6, Benson 6, Brownhill 6, Westwood 7, Pieters 6, Wood 6, Barnes 7. Subs: Rodriguez 6, Stephens 6

4' PENALTY! Pope comes rushing out of goal and brings down Bamford. The VAR decision is as quick as it possibly gets. It's a stonewall penalty to the hosts.

5' GOAL! Bamford steps up and makes no mistake, stroking the spot kick into the top corner.

18' GOA… no. Meslier comes and tries to claim a free kick and drops it. Barnes puts the ball into the empty net but the whistle had gone for a foul on the keeper from Mee. He's incredibly lucky there, the young Frenchman.

32' How is that not a goal?! Raphinha collects it after Mee gives the ball away sloppily. He sprints into the box, waiting for the right pass. He picks out Harrison, who has the simplest of finishes but he shots straight at Bamford, who stops his own side from doubling their lead!

72' SAVE! Hernandez runs the length of the Burnley half and shoots from just outside the box. Pope makes a fingertip save to deny the hosts a second and concede a corner but should he have fed a team-mate?

73' SAVE! Barnes forces Meslier into his first meaningful save of the afternoon, latching on to his strike partner Wood's flick on and volleying towards the near post, but the Frenchman beats it away.

82' CLOSE! Barnes hooks across a ball to the other side of the six-yard box, where Rodriguez is waiting. He lashes a left foot at it but it flies over when he should have done better.