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 five successive league wins as they scraped to a narrow success at Alex Neil's intense Stoke to climb up three points clear at the top of the Championship again.


Josh Cullen's scrappy close-range strike on 60 minutes - the summertime finalizing from Anderlecht's first goal for the club - showed the difference between 2 well-matched sides.


The in-form Clarets were provided among their most difficult tests of the season before restoring their three-point cushion over second-placed Sheffield United, who had actually 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 automated promo location, while the rest of the crowded Championship top 10 are separated by just three points.


Friday's Championship action, as it happened


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 offered chase to what seemed fruitless pursuit of a confident long ball permitted 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 net, no one had actually made the supporting run.


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


Burnley began to take more control and might have had a penalty claim when Manuel Benson's encounter the Stoke penalty location ended when he was relatively brought down by Morgan Fox.


Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, simply as he did for 2 Stoke penalty yells in the second half.


There was a for Burnley when Morgan Fox took a crack at obstructed at close quarters 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 coming on Burnley struck.


Harry Clarke had a possibility on the goal line to clear Benson's deflected shot but it rebounded withdraw 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 last 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 against supervisor Neil's former side Preston, while Burnley go to Swansea.


Stoke City manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:


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


"The objective we conceded was aggravating, to say the least. It wasn't developed by them. It was offered away by us.


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


Burnley manager Vincent Kompany informed BBC Radio Lancashire:


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


"It was scrappy however if you do it that way it gives you confidence for the next time. It offers you a factor to believe.


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


Burnley