Burnley

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Burnley forward Jaidon Anthony said the team's hard work to improve their attacking game is beginning to pay off.

The Clarets thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 last Friday, which was only the fourth time they have scored more than twice in a league game this season.

Of the current top six sides in the Championship, only Blackburn (39) have scored fewer than Burnley's 43 goals.

"We've been developing as a group on the training ground on the all-round game, but especially in the attacking phases and patterns of play and what we want to do in the final third," Anthony told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I think we're getting to see that and hopefully the goals can keep going in."

Burnley's relative struggles in front of goal are in stark contrast to their defensive record this season. They recorded a 12th successive clean sheet against Wednesday, and have conceded only nine goals in 34 league games.

"It's ridiculous - we've got an unbelievable unit, which starts with the back four and the goalkeeper, of course, and then the boys in front do a good job in helping them out," Anthony added.

"It's an unbelievable run, not something anyone can say they expected. We're definitely trying to keep it going, and if we do we've got a good chance this year."

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Burnley boss Scott Parker spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire following their 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

Parker, who was serving a one-game touchline ban, watched the game from the stand at Turf Moor.

"First half we started pretty slowly and lacked a bit of energy but the goal came at a great time for us," he said.

"We were clinical, it's another clean sheet, four goals and overall I'm very pleased.

"There were times when pressure was coming and this side prides itself on keeping clean sheets and tonight again we were resolute and stood up when we had to."

Burnley will look to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive when they welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Turf Moor on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Clarets are five points off the top two but could gain ground with Leeds United and Sheffield United playing each other on Monday evening.

The Owls, who have play-off ambitions of their own, are three points off the top six in ninth.

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (W4 D3), scoring at least one goal in each of those matches.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost just one of their past nine away league games against Burnley (D4 L4), though that sole defeat did come on their last visit to Turf Moor in September 2015 (3-1).

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past 20 league games (W11 D9), the Clarets' longest run since a 22-match run between November 2022 and April 2023.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won seven of their past 12 away Championship matches (D1 L4). Since the start of October, only city rivals Sheffield United (8) have won more away games in the division than the Owls' seven.

• Burnley have kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in the Championship. In the entire history of the Football League since 1888, only one side has had a longer run in the top four tiers, with Manchester United keeping 14 in a row during the 2008-09 campaign.

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley boss Scott Parker has said he is not worried about the gap between his side and the Championship's top two, insisting it is a "total irrelevance" to him.

An 11th goalless draw of the season against Preston on Saturday, coupled with wins for Sheffield United and Leeds, leaves the Clarets five points behind the second-placed Blades.

"I never jump on a rollercoaster of what this season or league brings and I've got no interest in what our competitors are doing, certainly at this point in the season," Parker said.

"What Leeds or Sheffield United are doing is an absolute irrelevance to me. If we are not going to win enough games to generate enough points, the facts are we are not going to be successful or get to where we want to get to.

"But we can't jump on that rollercoaster of emotion over one weekend looking at what other teams are doing or not doing. Five points, six points - whatever the gap is, it is a total irrelevance to me.

"At the moment we have got one control over one of the teams - the one we are playing. It is about us being as positive and dominant as we can. But we need to keep churning out results and keep winning."