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 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 signing from Anderlecht's first objective for the club - showed the difference in between two well-matched sides.


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


But Kompany's Clarets and the Blades have broken away from the chasing pack.


Burnley have now opened up a 14-point gap on third-placed Blackburn Rovers, who are 11 points adrift of that 2nd automated promo location, while the rest of the crowded Championship top 10 are separated by simply three points.


Friday's Championship action, as it happened


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


Confusion between Ian Maatsen and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric as Tyrese Campbell offered chase to what seemed fruitless pursuit of a confident long ball allowed the Stoke striker to round the keeper and get to the byline large out.


But, when he squared over to what should have been an almost empty web, no one had made the supporting run.


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


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


Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, just as he did for 2 Stoke charge yells in the second 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 extra waiting on the bench in the kind of Morocco's Anass Zaroury and leading 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 few feet off the flooring 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 vacation.


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


Stoke City manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:


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


"The goal we yielded was frustrating, to state the least. It wasn't produced by them. It was offered away by us.


"I feel for the gamers since they worked so tough against the best group in the league."


Burnley manager Vincent Kompany informed BBC Radio Lancashire:


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


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


"Credit to Stoke however, unlike that day against Sheffield United, we didn't permit the opposition to put us under pressure so much."


Burnley