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 five consecutive league wins as they scraped to a narrow success at Alex Neil's fiery 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 summer season finalizing from Anderlecht's very first goal for the club - proved the distinction between two well-matched sides.


The in-form Clarets were given 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 hours earlier.


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


Burnley have actually now opened up a 14-point space on third-placed Blackburn Rovers, who are 11 points adrift of that second automatic promo location, while the rest of the crowded Championship leading 10 are separated by simply 3 points.


Friday's Championship action, as it occurred


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


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


But, when he squared over to what need to have been a nearly empty web, nobody 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 charge claim when Manuel Benson's encounter the Stoke charge location ended when he was apparently lowered by Morgan Fox.


Referee Keith Stroud waved the visitors' claims away, simply as he did for two Stoke charge screams in the second half.


There was a double escape for Burnley when Morgan Fox had a shot blocked at close variety 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 top scorer Jay Rodriguez - and within eight minutes of them beginning Burnley struck.


Harry Clarke had a chance on the objective line to clear Benson's deflected shot but it rebounded back off 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 final video games of 2022, both sides are back in action on Monday on the New Year's Day bank vacation.


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


Stoke City boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:


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


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


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


Burnley boss Vincent Kompany BBC Radio Lancashire:


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


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


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


Burnley