Football writer Daniel Edwards identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 9.
Player analysis: Florentino (Burnley)
Burnley had the best defence in England last season, breaking a number of records under head coach Scott Parker on their way to a colossal 100-point haul in the Championship and a return to the Premier League.
The Clarets conceded 16 goals in league action, an average of 0.35 per game, setting the best defensive record in English league history.
They also became the first side in the history of English league football not to concede more than one goal in any fixture throughout a whole season
Their 30 clean sheets matched Port Vale’s record from 1953/54, while their run of 12 matches without conceding between December and March last season is a Football League record.
Parker and his staff will have been well aware that those historic numbers were unlikely to be replicated on their return to the top flight, but some semblance of defensive aptitude would need to be maintained if they were to stay up.
Florentino the destroyer
Enter Florentino Ibrain Morris Luis, better known simply as Florentino.
Signed on loan from Portuguese giants Benfica on the final day of the transfer window with an option to make the move permanent next summer, the 26-year-old may be a familiar name to those who have kept a keen eye on youth football in seasons past.
Florentino was a regular for Portugal’s youth teams for a number of years and was named in the team of the tournament at the Under-17 European Championships in 2016, as well as at the Under-19 edition two years later.
While his early promise is yet to yield an appearance for Portugal’s senior side, he has had a highly respectable career to date in Europe, and national team manager Roberto Martinez would be wise to keep a close eye.
Florentino’s midfield role is often referred to in modern football parlance as a destroyer.
Other examples of this archetype would be Joao Palhinha at Tottenham Hotspur, Moises Caicedo at Chelsea, and Manuel Ugarte at Manchester United.
It is a term typically reserved for players whose main function is to win possession of the ball, with everything else secondary.
His numbers in recent seasons for Benfica in the Portuguese Primeira Liga make that abundantly clear.
Florentino ranked second in the Portuguese top flight for combined tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes in 2022/23, while he was the best-ranked player by that measure in the two seasons that followed.
Florentino Primeira Liga, per 90 minutes
| Season | Tackles + Interceptions | League Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 6.1 | 2 |
| 2023/24 | 6.8 | 1 |
| 2024/25 | 6.1 | 1 |
Parker has been a long-term admirer of the defensive midfielder, reportedly trying to sign him when he was in charge at Fulham.
"We have signed a very good player who has real attributes for the Premier League”, Burnley's head coach told the media prior to Florentino’s debut against Liverpool in September.
“He brings quality, experience and I think he could be a big addition for us. He has always been a menace when we have played against him."
Florentino has indeed proved to be a menace – but this time for Parker’s opponents.
He came on with less than 30 minutes remaining against Liverpool and still managed to make the joint-most tackles of any Burnley player (three), while adding an interception and a block for good measure.
He has played every available minute for the Clarets since, racking up a huge number of defensive contributions, mirroring his figures from previous years with Benfica.
His 6.7 combined tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes are the most of any player in the Premier League this season – in fact, that figure ranks top among all players from Europe’s five major leagues.
Most tackles and interception in Premier League 2025/26, per 90 (min. 4 starts)
| Player | Tackles + Interceptions |
|---|---|
| Florentino (BUR) | 6.7 |
| Joel Veltman (BHA) | 6.4 |
| Santiago Bueno (WOL) | 6.4 |
| Moises Caicedo (CHE) | 6.1 |
| Joao Palhinha (TOT) | 6.1 |
“Every game is like a battle, and there are no easy games,” Florentino told the Burnley Express earlier this month.
“But we are looking forward to it, and we want to see game by game and every game we want the three points, every game we want to do the best and this is our mentality.”
Burnley picked up a hugely important win over Leeds United last Saturday, with their switch to a back four allowing the Clarets to play a midfield trio of Florentino, Lesley Ugochukwu and captain Josh Cullen in the same starting XI for the first time.
They appear to be a complimentary triumvirate, with a strong mixture of defensive nous, technical proficiency and athleticism.
Burnley’s signing of Florentino, along with the likes of Kyle Walker and Ugochukwu, showcases once more the incredible depth on display in the Premier League.
The three promoted clubs have together brought in top-class players who would fit in comfortably at teams with European aspirations.
Burnley currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, but they have already faced Spurs, Man United, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Their victory against Leeds will have given them renewed confidence that they can remain a Premier League side next season.
This coming weekend will be another key test for teams at the lower end of the table, with four of the current bottom five facing off in Matchweek 9.
Leeds host West Ham United on Friday night, while Florentino’s Burnley travel to face a winless Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.