3 years ago
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Anass Zaroury's first-minute goal for Burnley was his second in successive home league games - 44 days apartBurnley restored their lead at the top of the Championship to three points as they deservedly beat a resolute Birmingham City.
World Cup campaigners Anass Zaroury and Connor Roberts hit first-half goals, supplemented by an injury-time third from Nathan Tella, as Vincent Kompany's in-form Clarets completed their 14th win in 24 Championship games this season to edge clear again of second-placed Sheffield United.
Against the second meanest defence in the second tier, the hosts got off to a flyer when Zaroury hit the fastest Championship goal of the season - after just 49 seconds.
After helping to set up the first goal, Roberts then got in on the goalscoring act himself when he ended the first half as it had begun a minute before the break with another very neatly worked move down the right.
Tella then rounded it all off as he ran through to score to complete Blues' heaviest defeat of the season - as the home fans enjoyed seeing three goals from their team for the fifth game running at Turf Moor to move them 11 points ahead of third-placed Blackburn.
Sensational though Zaroury's return to EFL action was, there was an element of fortune about Burnley's opener.
A foul on Krystian Bielik at the top end of the pitch in Blues' first attack went unpunished, Burnley broke, Manuel Benson slipped a lovely pass inside the full-back, Roberts drilled over a low cross and Zaroury got in just ahead of Maxime Collin to slot home a superb right-foot finish.
After a month away on World Cup duty, during which he only figured in the third-place play-off game against Belgium, Zaroury's goal was his fourth in their past four home games.
As for Roberts, his goalscoring contribution came only after being freed to play when his pre-Christmas handball red card against Middlesbrough was overturned.
But he made the most of his reprieve.
Roberts has now scored three times for Burnley in 2022 - all at Turf MoorHe had already created another opening - from which Benson powered a shot just over - when he contrived a neat one-two with Josh Brownhill, collected a lovely flicked return pass over the top and ran on to make the net ripple.
Burnley had other chances to sentence Blues to an even heavier defeat but keeper John Ruddy denied an instinctive reflex flick from former West Bromwich Albion striker Jay Rodriguez and Josh Cullen blazed wide with a great chance before Tella rounded it all off three minutes into injury time.
Line-ups
Burnley
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 49Muric
- 14Roberts
- 5Harwood-Bellis
- 36Beyer
- 29MaatsenSubstituted forTaylorat 72'minutes
- 4Cork
- 24CullenBooked at 35mins
- 17ManuelSubstituted forTellaat 62'minutes
- 8Brownhill
- 19ZarourySubstituted forGudmundssonat 82'minutes
- 9RodríguezSubstituted forBarnesat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Taylor
- 7Gudmundsson
- 10Barnes
- 11Twine
- 15Peacock-Farrell
- 23Tella
- 27Churlinov
Birmingham
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 21Ruddy
- 28Sanderson
- 4RobertsSubstituted forBellinghamat 79'minutes
- 5Trusty
- 31Bielik
- 2ColinSubstituted forLekoat 87'minutes
- 7Bacuna
- 6MejbriBooked at 35minsSubstituted forJutkiewiczat 66'minutes
- 23Longelo
- 8DeeneyBooked at 54mins
- 18ChongBooked at 36minsSubstituted forJamesat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Etheridge
- 10Jutkiewicz
- 11Graham
- 14Leko
- 19James
- 27Bellingham
- 42Chang
Referee:Darren England
Attendance:20,945
Live Text
Match ends, Burnley 3, Birmingham City 0.
Second Half ends, Burnley 3, Birmingham City 0.
Goal! Burnley 3, Birmingham City 0. Nathan Tella (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Charlie Taylor with a through ball following a fast break.
Attempt missed. Connor Roberts (Burnley) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Josh Cullen (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Troy Deeney (Birmingham City).
Attempt missed. Jóhann Gudmundsson (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Nathan Tella (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City).
Foul by Josh Brownhill (Burnley).
Jonathan Leko (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Birmingham City. Jonathan Leko replaces Maxime Colin.
Foul by Connor Roberts (Burnley).
Auston Trusty (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Jóhann Gudmundsson (Burnley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ashley Barnes.
Foul by Jack Cork (Burnley).
Jordan James (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Connor Roberts (Burnley).
Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Burnley. Ashley Barnes replaces Jay Rodríguez.
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