Burnley

Burnley return to the bread-and-butter of the Championship promotion race after their FA Cup exploits as they head to Cardiff on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Clarets will seek to extend their record-breaking defensive record as they play their game in hand on second-placed Sheffield United, who are five points ahead in the second automatic promotion place.

The Bluebirds are five points ahead of third-bottom Luton, in the final relegation place, having also played a game fewer.

• Cardiff City have lost four of their past five league games against Burnley (D1), as many defeats as across their prior 23 meetings with the Clarets combined (W8 D11).

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past eight league games against Cardiff City (W4 D4), since a 4-0 defeat in October 2012.

• Cardiff City are unbeaten in each of their past six home league games (W3 D3), last going longer without defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium in February 2020 under Neil Harris (run of 8).

• Burnley have kept a clean sheet in each of their past 12 Championship games, with only Manchester United between November 2008 and February 2009 ever keeping more straight shutouts in English Football League history (14).

• Cardiff City have lost each of their five league matches against the Championship's current top four sides this season by an aggregate score of 18-0, losing their most recent 7-0 to leaders Leeds United at Elland Road.

Image source, Rex Features

Disappointed Scott Parker has defended making nine changes for Burnley's FA Cup defeat at Preston.

The Clarets went down 3-0 at Lancashire rivals Preston North End to miss out on a potential quarter-final tie at home to Aston Villa.

Parker's side are third in the Championship, five points adrift of Sheffield United in the second automatic promotion place, and play their game in hand at Cardiff on Tuesday night.

Goalkeeper James Trafford, defender CJ Egan-Riley and forward Zian Flemming were among the first-teamers to be rested at Deepdale, but Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It wasn't a difficult decision.

"If you win the tie, like we did at Southampton (in round four), it gets wiped away. This squad are together, they deserve to play in this game.

"We have got a quick turnaround for another big game at Cardiff, we travel on Monday. I need to manage the squad.

"We wanted to go through to the next round, we've not managed to do that."

Burnley conceded more goals in one game than they had in their previous 15 matches in all competitions, ending a run of nine consecutive clean sheets.

"It's disappointing," Parker added. "We fell short in a tough tie, there's no denying that.

"We fell short in the basics, in the foundation of this game and what was needed we came up a little bit short, we were second best to a lot of things really.

"I think it's fair to say it was a mixture of them playing well and us being a bit below par. For the majority of this year we have built our game on a foundation of the basics and we didn't manage to do that. It was a difficult day for us."

Image source, Getty Images

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."

Image source, Getty Images

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 being as positive and dominant as we can. But we need to keep churning out results and keep winning."