Huge Burnley boost in Leeds United title battle with extra Clarets bonus as rivals collapse
Burnley and Leeds are locked in battle for the Championship title.
Burnley have given themselves a massive boost in their Leeds United battle for the Championship title with an extra Clarets bonus.
Leeds and Burnley both sealed automatic promotion on Easter Monday as United’s 6-0 thumping of Stoke City at Elland Road was followed by a 2-1 win for Burnley against Sheffield United at Turf Moor.
The results left leaders Leeds and second-placed Burnley with an unassailable advantage in the division’s two automatic promotion places, locked together on 94 points but with Leeds top through a far superior goal difference.
By virtue of playing first, Burnley had the opportunity to move top and three points clear of Leeds with a victory in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at QPR.
The Clarets took the opportunity with both hands, romping to an incredibly easy 5-0 victory which also provided the extra bonus of significantly boosting their goal difference.
Burnley dominated from the outset and went ahead with just nine minutes on the clock as a lovely through ball from Josh Brownhill played in Josh Cullen who applied a very composed finish.
“Burnley were ripping the Rs apart,”...
The Clarets doubled their lead just 11 minutes later through Zian Flemming who netted from close range after Luca Koleosho’s dart into the box and low cross caused mayhem in the Rs defence.
Burnley were ripping the Rs apart and a third goal arrived before the half hour mark as Brownhill sent in a perfect cross for Flemming to head home his second.
A goalline clearance then prevented QPR from conceding a fourth in the 34th minute and the Rs finally served up their first attempt at goal six minutes before the break.
QPR were booed off at the break and the hosts initially proved a more solid proposition in the second half but with Burnley easily holding firm.
But more damage was to come, substitute Jeremy Sarmiento’s deflected strike making it 4-0 just after the hour mark and Sarmiento doubled his tally with a sweeping finish in second half stoppage time.
Saturday’s win took Burnley’s goal difference from plus 46 to plus 51 but United’s is still nine goals better in being plus 60.
It realistically still means that two wins from United’s final two games will seal the title, starting with Monday night’s hosting of Bristol City.