Less than a year after they were relegated from the Premier League, EFL Championship league-leaders, Burnley, are back in the English top-flight division following a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium on Friday night.
Prior to today’s crucial tie, Vincent Kompany-led side only needed three points and hoped third-placed Luton draw to board an immediate flight to the EPL, having had 16 points above the last automatic qualification zone with only six matches remaining.
It all panned out exactly the same for Burnley as Ashley Barnes’ 12th-minute and Connor Roberts’ 66th-minute goals handed the Clarets their most important three points of the season far away from home.
Free-scoring Super Eagles prospect, Chuba Akpom, scored Middlesbrough’s only goal from the spot. It was his 26th league goal of the season as he leads the top scorers’ chart.
If Burnley lose their remaining seven matches in the campaign, they would still be one point ahead of third place which is just outside the automatic qualification zone and currently occupied by Luton who have 68 points.
