Burnley Maintain Astonishing Record
Burnley’s astonishing defensive record in the EFL Championship continued throughout February as another unbeaten month kept the Clarets firmly in the race for promotion.
Going into a new month, the Vertu-supported side had failed to concede a league goal since a 2-1 win over Watford in the final game before Christmas, with Lewis Wing’s strike for Reading in the FA Cup third round being the only time the ball had hit the back of the Burnley net.
Having held off Leeds in the final game of January, a new month kicked off with a long trip to the south coast to face Portsmouth – who ground out a goalless draw to aid their survival bid.
An own goal from Michal Helik would be the difference on the return to Turf Moor as Burnley saw off the challenge of Oxford United before progressing in the FA Cup with a 1-0 win away at Southampton.
A 2-0 success at home to Hull City – thanks to goals from Bashir Humphreys and Zian Flemming – not only secured three more points but also saw Burnley become the first team in the history of the second tier to go ten games without conceding a goal.
After a goalless draw with local rivals Preston North End at Deepdale, Burnley ended the month on a high with a 4-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday back at Turf Moor.
Having scored the winner in the FA Cup tie on his debut, Marcus Edwards nabbed his first league goal shortly before half-time despite the visitors having plenty of the ball.
Burnley moved up a gear in the second half however with Josh Brownhill, Connor Roberts and Manuel Benson all finding the net.
That made it a dozen clean sheets in a row for Scott Parker’s side – just two behind Manchester United’s record of 14 – and means Burnley have conceded just nine goals in 34 games.
An average of 0.26 goals conceded per game means the Clarets are well on track to beat the current record of 0.38, set by Liverpool during the 1978/79 season.
Burnley kick off March with a return to Preston in the FA Cup ahead of five more games in the race for promotion.
| February EFL Championship Results | ||||
| Portsmouth | 0 | - | 0 | Burnley |
| Burnley | 1 | - | 0 | Oxford United |
| Burnley | 2 | - | 0 | Hull City |
| Preston North End | 0 | - | 0 | Burnley |
| Burnley | 4 | - | 0 | Sheffield Wednesday |