A new chapter begins at Turf Moor as the hunt for a new manager gets underway as Vincent Kompany departs Burnley to take up his new position as head coach of German powerhouse Bayern Munich.
During his two years in command of the Clarets, the Belgian made an impression by leading his team to the Championship title in the 22–23 season. His emphasis on offensive, front-foot game paid off in the second division.
Manuel Benson proved to be a vital component of that promotion push for the Lancashire club, which had a fantastic campaign and only three teams were able to defeat them en route to their 101-point total.
The wide player’s season last year was rather different; he only started one Premier League game the entire year. However, with a new manager at the helm and everyone at the club getting a fresh start, the 27-year-old may be in line for another successful campaign in claret and blue.
Under Vincent Kompany, Manuel Benson propels Burnley to the Championship promotion.
After spending much of his playing career in his home country of Belgium, Benson moved to England to join Royal Antwerp in the Jupiler Pro League. He quickly established himself in the Football League.
Benson’s skill, flair and lightning-fast feet turned the Clarets’ front line into an unstoppable machine right away. In September, he scored the team’s first goal, 2-1 over Bristol City.
Benson picked up the ball about thirty yards from goal, skipping into the penalty area and launching an erratic drive past the helpless Daniel Bentley in the visiting net—a picture that would grow increasingly typical as the season progressed.
Benson was a part of a powerful attacking team that scorched a league-high 87 goals that season, with players like Josh Cullen, Anass Zaroury, and Nathan Tella surrounding him. The Clarets were too hot to handle for lower division defences.
By November, the Belgian’s goal scoring streak had become somewhat of a routine as a run of four goals in five games helped Kompany’s team take the lead in the standings.
When you close your eyes, it’s easy to see the classic Manuel Benson goal from that productive era: he receives the ball on the right side of the pitch, cuts past his defender, and then unleashes a devastating strike into either corner.
| Manuel Benson 22/23 Burnley Championship stats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 33 | ||
| Starts | 14 | ||
| Goals | 11 | ||
| Assists | 3 | ||
| Goal contribution/90 | 0.85 | ||
| Source: FBRef | |||
The winger was practically used as a get-out card for the Clarets time and time again; he scored four goals in his final four games of the season to guarantee promotion was secured with style.
Manuel Benson finds it difficult to contribute to Burnley in the Premier League.
As the division grew, there was a noticeable inflow of players into the Turf Moor dressing room. However, Benson unintentionally hurt his own hopes of playing consistently in claret and blue by leading Burnley to the Premier League.
The wide player played just 116 minutes of top level football in all of last season; his only start was in a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa at Turf Moor, and he was already hooked before halftime.
Due to the lack of playing time, there were even whispers of a January departure from the club; Kompany confirmed this towards the conclusion of the winter transfer window.
“There were some rumours that he was going on loan, and naturally, he wants to play,” he remarked.
“We’ll watch to see how it gets resolved. Things resume as usual if he is present with us.
Unfortunately, he stayed put and didn’t have much more of an impact after Burnley died because they joined the EFL at the first opportunity before their boss abandoned ship.
Manuel Benson may return if Burnley makes a move.
Benson’s situation may be improving with the division and management changes, allowing him to re-establish himself in the public eye ahead of the upcoming Championship season.
We’ve already witnessed firsthand how devastating he can be in the division, and now that the last 12 months of frustration are behind him, the Belgian may hope to silence his sceptics with another successful campaign in the second level.
Although things won’t be the same as Kompany moves forward, players who experienced such success in 2022–2023 like Benson can have a big influence on the team’s chances of winning the Championship again.
The announcement of Kompany’s departure from Turf Moor may allow the player to return to the forefront for the Clarets.
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