REPORT: BURNLEY 3 - 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY

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Goals from Zaroury, Roberts and Tella secure all three points

2022-12-27T22:05:13.665Z

REPORT: BURNLEY 3 - 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY

Goals from Zaroury, Roberts and Tella secure all three points

2022-12-27T22:05:13.665Z

Goals from Zaroury, Roberts and Tella secure all three points

Burnley sealed their 14th win of the Sky Bet Championship season on Tuesday night with an impressive 3-0 victory over Birmingham City at Turf Moor.

Goals from Anass Zaroury, Connor Roberts and Nathan Tella saw the the Clarets move 11 points clear of the play-off positions and reach the 50 point mark for the season.

Zaroury, back involved for the first time since returning from the World Cup with Morocco, netted the opener with less than a minute played. Roberts, who set up the first then grabbed the second goal just before half-time, following a well-worked build-up. Tella then scored the third in stoppage time to rub salt in the wounds of the Blues' defence.

Manager Vincent Kompany made three changes from the side that played Manchester United in the Carabao Cup last week, with Rodriguez, Muric and Zaroury all coming into the XI replacing Barnes, Peacock-Farrell, and Gudmundsson.

First Half

It took the Clarets just 49 seconds to open the scoring at a drenched Turf Moor, as Kompany’s men counter-attacked the Blues, with Roberts teeing up Zaroury inside the area, where the Moroccan was on hand to fire home past John Ruddy in the City goal.

REPORT: BURNLEY 3 - 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY - Image 1

After the impressive start from the hosts, the second opportunity came with 24 minutes played as Manuel Benson’s close-range strike sailed just over the bar, as Kompany’s men pushed to double their lead.

As half-time approached, the game was halted just after the half-hour mark after a couple of rash challenges, which saw City’s Tahith Chong and Hannibal Mejbri booked, along with Burnley’s Josh Cullen.

But the Clarets did grab their deserved second before the break, as Roberts played a lovely one-two with Josh Brownhill on the edge of the area, with the Welshman then firing home the receiving pass into the bottom corner past John Ruddy.

Half Time

The hosts came out on the front foot and came close to adding a third just five minutes into the second 45, but Ian Maatsen’s teasing cross into the box was narrowly missed by the head of Rodriguez.

Everything you need to know ahead of Saturday afternoon football at Turf Moor...

Benson then tried his luck from 25-yards out with his trademark curling strike, but his effort was off target and over the crossbar this time.

Nathan Tella was then introduced on the hour mark after missing the last two games through illness, replacing Benson on the right.

Burnley then had two chances in the space of two minutes, as Rodriguez saw his flicked effort from Zaroury’s cross find the hands of Ruddy, before Cullen’s shot fizzed just wide of the post.

City looked for a way back into it, after minimal chances throughout, as Troy Deeney’s close range strike was blocked well by Taylor Harwood-Bellis and away for a corner.

But Tella then scored the third in stoppage time, after breaking through on goal and firing past Ruddy

REPORT: BURNLEY 3 - 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY - Image 3

Burnley: Muric, Roberts, Harwood-Bellis, Beyer, Maatsen (Taylor 72), Cork ©, Cullen, Brownhill, Zaroury (Gudmundsson 81), Benson (Tella 61), Rodriguez

Unused Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Twine, Churlinov

Birmingham City: Ruddy, Sanderson, Roberts, Trusty, Bielik, Colin, Bacuna, Mejbri, Longelo, Deeney, Chong

Unused Subs: Etheridge, Jutkiewicz, Graham, Leko, James, Bellingham, Chang

Goals: Zaroury 1’, Roberts 44’, Tella 90'