Cullen fires Burnley to three points clear at the top

Burnley saw off Stoke City winning 1-0 at the Bet 365 Stadium to end 2022 three points clear top of the Championship.

Josh Cullen’s 61st minute goal from close-range sees the Clarets to their fifth league win in a row and their 15th of the season so far, finishing the year strong as they hope for an imminent return to the Premier League.

The Lancashire side enjoyed a large amount of possession on their trip to North Staffordshire controlling the game in Stoke’s own backyard taking all three points back to Turf Moor.

The first chance of the game fell to Tyrese Campbell latching onto a long ball into the box which Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric couldn’t get to leaving an open goal, yet the Potter couldn’t convert from the very tight angle on the by line.

Ashley Barnes provided Burnley’s first effort at goal from the right side of the six yard box but the 33-year-old shot straight at Bonham who saw it away.

Vincent Kompany’s side were by far the stronger side of the first ten minutes enjoyed the majority of possession controlling the game early on, indicating what was to come in the rest of the game.

Kompany was left furious from the sidelines as Manuel Benson was taken out on the edge of the box in the 15th-minute after a poor misplaced back pass at the Stoke City backline but referee Kevin Stroud saw nothing wrong with the challege.

City had the ball in the back of the net from a corner on the left side. Harry Souttar’s header was well saved by Muric but it fell to Campbell to see it into the net yet the referee blew for a foul in the box keeping it goalless in the 24th minute.

Burnley then had a chance with a corner themselves from the left side with Josh Brownhill’s delivery meeting the head of Ashley Barnes at the back post yet the forward headed wide to the right.

Barnes then saw yellow for the Clarets for his challenge on Harry Souttar sliding in as the defender looked to carry the ball forward in the 32nd minute.

Stoke came closest to opening the scoring in the 38th minute from a corner on the left, if not for a fantastic save from Muric from Clarke’s header and brave defending on the line to deny Morgan Fox the second time it would’ve been the opener for the home side.

Two minutes were added on to the first half as Burnley had a free-kick from on the left side with Bonham not rigorously tested holding the header easily and the sides went into the tunnel with no goals between them at half-time.

Appeals for a Stoke City penalty early in the second half were turned away as Brown went down in the box after Muric punched clear for the Clarets.

Burnley made a 52nd minute double change with Barnes off for top scorer Jay Rodriguez and Churlinov replaced by Anass Zaroury.

Benson looked to create an opportunity for the away side cutting in on the right side shooting toward goal with his left foot yet he saw his left-footed shot blocked.

The away side who had enjoyed all the possession once again likewise to the first half then took the lead in the 61st minute.

After good work from Benson on the right getting a shot off the ball took a deflection off Fox taking it past Bonham in goal. Clarke tried to clear yet hit it straight at his own keeper with the ball falling to Jay Rodriguez for Burnley getting a foot to it for Cullen to fire home from close-range.

A handball appeal was turned away for Stoke in the 67th minute as they looked to react to going behind, the ball from the left appeared to strike the Burnley man high on the arm with the referee waving play on.

Manuel Benson was replaced by Nathan Tella in the 69th minute before a triple change for the home side two minutes later with Jacob Brown replaced by Liam Delap, Will Smallbone by Josh Laurent and Josh Tymon made way for Tarique Fosu.

Jordan Thompson came off for Nick Powell for Stoke as the home side looked to be heading towards their 12th win of the season.

Josh Brownhill fired a free kick high and wide to the left for Burnley in the 84th minute before Ian Maatsen was replaced by Charlie Taylor.

Four minutes were added onto the 90 with Stoke trying their best to salvage something and attack the Burnley goal yet they were unable to losing 1-0 to the table-toppers at home.

Lineups

Stoke City: Bonham, Wilmot, Fox, Souttar, Clarke, Baker (C), Thompson, Tymon, Wilmot, Smallbone, Brown, Campbell

Subs: Bursik, Delap, Kilkenny, Fosu, Powell, Laurent, Taylor

Burnley: Muric, Roberts, Harwood-Bellis, Beyer, Maatsen, Cork, Cullen, Mauel, Brownhill, Churlinov, Barnes

Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Taylor, Gudmundsson, Rodriguez, Twine, Zaroury, Tella

Attendance: 21,464

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt