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 consecutive 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 very first goal for the club - showed the distinction between two well-matched sides.


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


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 second automated promo location, while the of the crowded Championship leading 10 are separated by just 3 points.


Friday's Championship action, as it took place


Out-of-form Stoke, now just five points clear of threat, looked like they had Burnley especially rattled early on.


Confusion in between Ian Maatsen and goalkeeper Arijanet Muric as Tyrese Campbell provided chase to what seemed fruitless pursuit of an enthusiastic long ball allowed 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, nobody 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 face 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 provided for two Stoke charge shouts in the second half.


There was a double escape for Burnley when Morgan Fox took a crack at obstructed at close range by keeper Muric in a scramble.


But the Clarets had a bit extra waiting on the bench in the form of Morocco's Anass Zaroury and top scorer Jay Rodriguez - and within eight minutes of them beginning Burnley struck.


Harry Clarke had a possibility on the goal line to clear Benson's deflected shot however it rebounded withdraw keeper Jack Bonham a couple of feet off the flooring and Cullen flew in to take off 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 vacation.


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


Stoke City employer Alex Neil told 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 was worthy of to lose.


"The objective we conceded was frustrating, to say the least. It wasn't created by them. It was given away by us.


"I feel for the players because they worked so difficult against the best team in the league."


Burnley boss 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 game at Stoke is huge.


"It was scrappy but if you do it that way it offers you self-confidence for the next time. It provides you a factor to think.


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


Burnley