Burnley vs Stoke match report: Mark Hughes delighted as Potters set points record
Burnley 0 Stoke City 0
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Your support makes all the difference.Manager Mark Hughes was overjoyed with his Stoke City players after they delivered a club-record points total for a Premier League season.
The 0-0 draw at relegated Burnley took the Potters to 51 points – the most they have ever registered in the seven years they have been in the division – and also ensures successive top-half finishes in the top flight for the first time in 40 years.
The record could have been brought up with a win, but Mame Diouf spurned two good opportunities to break the deadlock, while midfielder Jonathan Walters also missed a good chance for the away side at Turf Moor.
Although the manner of the result which got them the record may have been uninspiring, Hughes took great pride at the achievement.
“We got to 51 points, we are delighted with that, it’s a huge effort from everybody this year,” he said. “We got 50 last year and ninth position but we had to work harder for it this year for it, we’ve have had more injuries to key personnel that we’ve had to deal with but we have come though as a group and been really strong.
“Today wasn’t anything like the level we hit last weekend, it was difficult conditions, I think everybody could see that.
“In the end we just found a way to make sure we took something out of the game and thankfully results elsewhere went for us and we have confirmed ninth in the Premier League.
“Back-to-back top 10 finishes is something this club hasn’t done for 40-odd years so it’s a real achievement and something we are all very proud of. Next year we will try to be even better.”
It should be no surprise it ended goalless as Turf Moor has seen fewer goals than any other Premier League ground this season, with just 35, highlighting exactly where Burnley’s problems have been.
Burnley: (4-4-1-1) Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee; Boyd, Arfield, Jones (Ulvestad, 88), Taylor (Kightly, 65); Barnes (Vokes, 83); Ings.
Stoke: (4-2-3-1) Butland; Cameron, Shawcross, Muniesa, Pieters; N’Zonzi, Whelan; Walters (Odemwingie, 59), Adam (Sidwell, 83), Arnautovic (Crouch, 69); Diouf.
Referee: Michael Oliver.
Man of the match: Walters (Stoke).
Match rating: 4/10.
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