Stoke City 0-1 Burnley: Josh Cullen Strike Earns Leaders A Fifth Consecutive Win
30 December 2022
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ByGed Scott
at the bet365 Stadium
Vincent Kompany's Burnley made it five consecutive league wins as they scraped to a narrow success at Alex Neil's intense Stoke to climb up 3 points clear at the top of the Championship again.
Josh Cullen's scrappy close-range strike on 60 minutes - the summer season finalizing from Anderlecht's very first goal for the club - proved the difference in between 2 well-matched sides.
The in-form Clarets were given among their hardest tests of the season before restoring their three-point cushion over second-placed Sheffield United, who had won at Blackpool 24 hr previously.
But Kompany's Clarets and the Blades have broken away from the chasing pack.
Burnley have now opened a 14-point gap on third-placed Blackburn Rovers, who are 11 points adrift of that second automatic promo location, while the remainder of the crowded Championship leading 10 are separated by simply three points.
Friday's Championship action, as it occurred
Out-of-form Stoke, now simply 5 points clear of threat, appeared like they had Burnley particularly rattled early on.
Confusion in between Ian Maatsen and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric as Tyrese Campbell offered chase to what appeared fruitless pursuit of a hopeful long ball allowed the Stoke striker to round the keeper and get to the byline broad out.
But, when he squared over to what must have been a practically empty internet, no one had made the supporting run.
Campbell then took a crack at blocked after a manipulated clearance from Muric.
Burnley began to take more control and may have had a charge claim when Manuel Benson's encounter the Stoke charge area ended when he was seemingly reduced by Morgan Fox.
Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, just as he provided for 2 Stoke charge shouts in the 2nd half.
There was a double escape for Burnley when Morgan Fox took a crack at blocked at close quarters by keeper Muric in a scramble.
But the Clarets had a bit additional waiting on the bench in the kind of Morocco's Anass Zaroury and top scorer Jay Rodriguez - and within eight minutes of them beginning Burnley struck.
Harry Clarke had a chance on the goal line to clear Benson's deflected shot however it rebounded back off keeper Jack Bonham a couple of feet off the floor and Cullen flew in to take to the air and prod the ball over the line.
Who's next?
Having completed their last video games of 2022, both sides are back in action on Monday on the New Year's Day bank vacation.
Stoke are at home once again against supervisor Neil's former side Preston, while Burnley go to Swansea.
Stoke City manager Alex Neil informed BBC Radio Stoke:
"It was a truly tight, cagey match. We did a lot of things well. We were disciplined and organised. And I do not think we should have to lose.
"The objective we conceded was discouraging, to say the least. It wasn't created by them. It was provided away by us.
"I feel for the players due to the fact that they worked so hard versus the finest team in the league."
Burnley employer Vincent Kompany informed BBC Radio Lancashire:
"That was a big win. Maybe our most significant win of the season - if you don't take into account the derby. Winning a night game at Stoke is big.
"It was scrappy but if you do it that method it offers you confidence for the next time. It provides you a reason to believe.
"Credit to Stoke however, unlike that day against Sheffield United, we didn't enable the opposition to put us under pressure a lot."
Burnley