Stoke City 0-1 Burnley: Josh Cullen Strike Earns Leaders A 5th Consecutive Win

30 December 2022


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ByGed Scott
BBC Sport at the bet365 Stadium


Vincent Kompany's Burnley made it 5 successive league wins as they scraped to a narrow success at Alex Neil's fiery Stoke to climb 3 points clear at the top of the Championship again.


Josh Cullen's scrappy close-range strike on 60 minutes - the summer finalizing from Anderlecht's very first goal for the club - proved the difference between two well-matched sides.


The in-form Clarets were provided among their hardest tests of the season before restoring their three-point cushion over second-placed Sheffield United, who had actually won at Blackpool 24 hours previously.


But Kompany's Clarets and the Blades have actually 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 promotion place, while the rest of the congested Championship top 10 are separated by just 3 points.


Friday's Championship action, as it took place


Out-of-form Stoke, now simply 5 points clear of danger, appeared like they had Burnley particularly rattled early on.


Confusion in between Ian Maatsen and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric as Tyrese Campbell gave chase to what appeared in vain pursuit of a hopeful long the Stoke striker to round the keeper and get to the byline large out.


But, when he squared over to what ought to have been a practically empty web, no one had actually made the supporting run.


Campbell then had a shot blocked after a skewed clearance from Muric.


Burnley began to take more control and might have had a penalty claim when Manuel Benson's run into the Stoke charge area ended when he was relatively lowered by Morgan Fox.


Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, just as he did for 2 Stoke penalty screams in the 2nd half.


There was a double escape for Burnley when Morgan Fox had a shot 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 8 minutes of them coming on Burnley struck.


Harry Clarke had an opportunity on the goal line to clear Benson's deflected shot however it rebounded withdraw keeper Jack Bonham a few feet off the floor and Cullen flew in to take to the air and prod the ball over the line.


Who's next?


Having finished their last games of 2022, both sides are back in action on Monday on the New Year's Day bank holiday.


Stoke are at home again versus supervisor Neil's previous side Preston, while Burnley go to Swansea.


Stoke City boss Alex Neil informed BBC Radio Stoke:


"It was a truly tight, cagey match. We did a great deal of things well. We were disciplined and organised. And I do not believe we should have to lose.


"The objective we conceded was frustrating, to state the least. It wasn't produced by them. It was handed out by us.


"I feel for the gamers since they worked so difficult versus the very best team in the league."


Burnley employer Vincent Kompany told BBC Radio Lancashire:


"That was a big win. Maybe our biggest win of the season - if you do not take into consideration the derby. Winning a night video game at Stoke is huge.


"It was scrappy but if you do it that way it gives you self-confidence for the next time. It gives you a reason to believe.


"Credit to Stoke however, unlike that day versus Sheffield United, we didn't allow the opposition to put us under pressure a lot."


Burnley