Stoke City 0-1 Burnley: Josh Cullen Strike Earns Leaders A Fifth 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 triumph at Alex Neil's fiery 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 finalizing from Anderlecht's first objective for the club - proved the difference in between two well-matched sides.
The in-form Clarets were provided among their toughest tests of the season before restoring their three-point cushion over second-placed Sheffield United, who had actually won at Blackpool 24 hr earlier.
But Kompany's Clarets and the Blades have actually broken away from the chasing pack.
Burnley have actually now opened a 14-point gap on third-placed Blackburn Rovers, who are 11 points adrift of that 2nd automatic promo place, while the rest of the crowded Championship top 10 are separated by just three points.
Friday's Championship action, as it occurred
Out-of-form Stoke, now simply 5 points clear of danger, looked like they had Burnley particularly rattled early on.
Confusion in between Ian Maatsen and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric as Tyrese Campbell provided chase to what seemed fruitless pursuit of a hopeful long ball enabled 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 net, no one had actually 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 penalty claim when Manuel Benson's run into the Stoke penalty area ended when he was relatively brought down by Morgan Fox.
Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, simply as he provided for two Stoke charge shouts in the 2nd half.
There was a double escape for Burnley when Morgan Fox took a crack at blocked at close variety by keeper Muric in a scramble.
But the Clarets had a bit additional waiting on the bench in the form of Morocco's Anass Zaroury and leading scorer Jay Rodriguez - and within eight minutes of them beginning Burnley struck.
Harry Clarke had a possibility on the objective line to clear shot but 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 finished their final video 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 manager 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 lot of things well. We were disciplined and arranged. And I do not believe we should have to lose.
"The objective we yielded was aggravating, to say the least. It wasn't produced by them. It was distributed by us.
"I feel for the gamers because they worked so difficult versus the very best team in the league."
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany informed BBC Radio Lancashire:
"That was a big win. Maybe our most significant win of the season - if you do not take into consideration the derby. Winning a night video game at Stoke is big.
"It was scrappy but if you do it that method it gives you confidence for the next time. It gives you a reason to believe.
"Credit to Stoke but, unlike that day versus Sheffield United, we didn't permit the opposition to put us under pressure a lot."
Burnley