Burnley have strengthened their hold on seventh place in the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory over Swansea City.

Goals from Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes ensured that the Clarets recorded a third successive win in the top flight, while Swansea remain in the relegation zone after another poor showing.

It was the visitors who came closest during the early stages, with Matt Lowton almost putting through his own net when attempting to intercept a cross from Jordan Ayew, but Burnley hit back through Steven Defour who saw his volley saved by Lukas Fabianski.

The home side remained in the ascendancy with Barnes seeing a header superbly kept out by Fabianski, but the goalkeeper was powerless to prevent Burnley from taking the lead just before the half-hour mark.

The move was started and finished by Cork, who set up Robbie Brady for the cross before arriving in the penalty area to head home for his second goal since signing for the club in the summer.

Five minutes before the break, Barnes doubled Burnley's advantage after collecting Jeff Hendrick's pass before drilling a stunning effort past Fabianski from 20 yards.

After the restart, Swansea offered a response with Tammy Abraham firing over after receiving a clever pass from Wilfried Bony, before the Ivorian fired wide with a shot of his own.

Swansea continued to have the better of the second period, but the Welsh outfit were dealt a blow when Abraham had to be stretchered off with eight minutes remaining.

Bony had a late chance for Swansea with his header going straight at Nick Pope, but Burnley were deserving of a win which takes the club seven points clear of eighth and just one adrift of Tottenham Hotspur having played the same number of games.