Burnley moved up to second place in the Championship table after beating Stoke 2-0 to make it four straight wins and five consecutive clean sheets.
Jay Rodriguez’s opener shortly after the break was added to by substitute Josh Brownhill’s late penalty as Scott Parker’s side took full advantage of Leeds’ defeat to Blackburn earlier in the day and leapfrog their promotion rivals.
The Clarets, who trail table toppers Sheffield United by two points, have now kept a total of 12 clean sheets this season and have still only conceded six goals – the fewest number at this stage of the campaign than any team in Championship history.
Defeat for Stoke ends their five-match unbeaten run and sees them remain in 14th place on 21 points.
After an uneventful start to the match, the first chance of note fell to Burnley in the 18th minute when Rodriguez’s looping header went narrowly over the crossbar from Luca Koleosho’s delivery.
The visitors threatened again through Koleosho just before the half-hour mark, but the winger’s low effort from 12 yards was kept out by the leg of Potters goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.
Down at the other end, Million Manhoef’s goal-bound shot from Tom Cannon’s pull-back was well blocked by Maxime Esteve.
And the hosts came even closer to taking the lead shortly before half-time, with Cannon’s close-range attempt well saved by James Trafford and Bae Jun-ho’s deflected backheel from the rebound cleared off the line by CJ Egan-Riley.
Having managed to withstand Stoke’s growing pressure to go in level at half-time, Burnley went ahead in the 52nd minute thanks to Rodriguez’s second goal of the season.
Connor Roberts’ deep cross was directed across the face of the goal by Josh Laurent and it was an easy tap-in for Rodriguez in the week he made his 300th appearance for the club.
The Clarets nearly doubled their advantage moments later, but Jaidon Anthony’s stabbed effort was cleared away from danger by Ashley Phillips as the ball edged closer to crossing the line.
Anthony had another good opportunity in the 68th minute, only to loop his shot over the crossbar after being picked out by Laurent at the back post.
Victory was sealed though 10 minutes later as Brownhill, who had come off the bench not long before, fired home from the penalty spot after captain Josh Cullen was clumsily brought down in the area by Tatsuki Seko.
