Stoke City reach record total as profligate Burnley let them escape
Burnley 0 - 0 Stoke
Stoke City's Steven N'Zonzi, left, and Burnley's David Jones compete for the ball in Premier League
Stoke City posted their record Premier League points tally after a 0-0 draw with relegated Burnley at Turf Moor.
The stalemate takes them to 51 points – the most they have ever registered in the seven years they have been in the Premier League – and also ensures successive top-half finishes in the top flight for the first time in 40 years.
The record could have been brought up with a win, but Mame Biram Diouf spurned two good opportunities to break the deadlock, while Jonathan Walters also missed a good chance for the Potters.
Burnley, whose home supporters were bidding farewell to Premier League football, made the early running but could not force a breakthrough, despite several Danny Ings attempts. Ings was desperate to get on to the scoresheet in what is expected to be his final appearance on home soil before a likely summer exit, but was denied on three separate occasions by the Stoke keeper, Jack Butland.
It should be no surprise it ended goalless as Turf Moor has seen fewer goals than any other Premier League ground this season, with just 35, highlighting exactly where Burnley’s problems have been.
Indeed a home campaign in which they have beaten Manchester City and drawn with Manchester United and Tottenham has been undermined by games Sean Dyche’s men have dominated but not been able to turn into wins.
A familiar tale was unfolding as the hosts, determined to go out with a bang in front of their home fans, started strongly and spurned several opportunities to take the lead. Ings, who had already gone close after a jinking run, forced Butland into a decent stop from Kieran Trippier’s cut back, with a superb block from the Stoke captain, Ryan Shawcross, denying Scott Arfield from the rebound.
Butland was proving why Mark Hughes had kept faith with him in the Stoke goal as he produced his best save of the day as he brilliantly palmed David Jones’ volley away, with the hosts enjoying a rampant opening 25 minutes. But their failure to punish Stoke allowed the visitors into the game and they created two glaring chances which should have seen them go into the half-time break in front.
First a quick counterattack enabled Walters to cross for Diouf but he inexplicably put his header wide at the far post and then Walters also missed the target from the edge of the area soon after.
The Clarets began the second half with bluster but it was Stoke that were creating the limited chances.
The Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton made a fine save to deny Diouf from close range after Charlie Adam’s cross found its way through and then some heroic defending from Jason Shackell stopped the dangerous Diouf heading home at the near post.
But neither side were able to find the quality to make a breakthrough as Turf Moor said goodbye to Premier League football with a stalemate.
Guardian
