By Burnley FC
April 4 2017
Burnley 1 Stoke City 0 George Boyd’s top-class finish secured a vital win for the Clarets as they set a new Premier League benchmark.
Boyd’s second goal of the season, calmly tucked away just when Burnley needed it most, took them beyond the 33 points they totaled in their last top-flight season. And while that 2014/15 campaign ended in relegation, Boyd’s 58th-minute strike edged Sean Dyche’s side ever closer to safety this time around as a first win in eight league games took them to 35 points and back up to 12th place in the table – eight points clear of the drop-zone.
The goal also gave Burnley a remarkable 10th home league win as Turf Moor once more proved un-breachable as the backdrop to a performance full of grit and determination to earn one of the biggest results of the season.
Dyche’s bid to halt the winless run saw him bring back both Sam Vokes and Steven Defour to the Clarets’ starting line-up.
Defour’s appearance was his first start since limping off with a hamstring injury in the win over champions Leicester City at the end of January – Burnley’s last victory.
And the Belgium international was the Clarets’ most creative player in a first half full of passion but short on chances.
Stoke hadn’t scored in their previous four away games and their lack of confidence in front of goal was apparent in two openings for Marko Arnautovic.
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