Burnley promoted to Premier League after win at Middlesbrough

SourceBBC

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Vincent Kompany’s Burnley secured promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt with victory over fourth-placed Middlesbrough.

The Clarets, unbeaten in the league since November, took an early lead when Ashley Barnes redirected Josh Brownhill’s low shot into the back of the net.

The home side equalised just after half-time when Championship top scorer Chuba Akpom scored from the spot after Josh Cullen felled Cameron Archer in the penalty area.

Connor Roberts steered in the winner from Nathan Tella’s near-post cross and Kompany’s men saw out the rest of the game in comfort to spark wild celebrations on the pitch and among their travelling fans.

Victory for the east Lancashire side sent them 19 points clear of third-placed Luton, who have six games left to play.

Kompany left Belgian top-flight side Anderlecht to take over at Turf Moor after they were relegated on the final day of last season, and the former Manchester City defender has enjoyed a near-flawless first campaign.

Despite a massive turnaround of players in the summer following the end of their six-year spell in the Premier League they have become the first team in the English Football League to secure promotion in 2022-23, having been top of the table since 25 October.

The Lancashire side now need just 11 points from their final seven games to secure the title, while 13 will see them become the first Championship team to break the 100-point barrier since Leicester City in 2013-14.

The Clarets host second-placed Sheffield United, the last team to beat them in a league game 19 matches ago, on Monday.

For fourth-placed Middlesbrough this was a damaging second successive defeat and they are nine points adrift of the Blades, who have also played a game fewer.