Lancashire

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Burnley have conceded just nine goals in the Championship season and have now kept nine clean sheets in a row.

Scott Parker's side are 11th when it comes to goals scored but are second in the table as it stands, occupying an automatic promotion spot.

Clarets fans, we want your views on your remarkable defensive record and the season so far:

What has it been like to watch Burnley this season?

Are you happy with the style of play?

Is the defensive record something you are proud of?

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Burnley manager Scott Parker says Marcus Edwards has matured since the days when he was criticised by his former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino for having "behavioural and authority problems".

The 26-year-old has signed on loan for the Clarets from Sporting Lisbon for the rest of the season and was on the bench for Tuesday's win over Oxford United.

Edwards was likened to Lionel Messi by Pochettino but moved to Portugal with Vitoria Guimaraes and then Sporting when his career in North London stalled.

Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I've been around Marcus for some time. [When he was] a young boy of 13 years of age was the first time I was introduced to him, when I was doing my coaching badges. He's a special player with special talent.

"We need to take care of him, as he's not played a lot of football - the last time he played was November, December, so he needs a bit more training time.

"He's definitely matured, and also probably the understanding of Marcus as well (has improved). He's gone off to Portugal on his own, and there is maturity there.

"He was a young boy in and around London and when you're a young boy sometimes there's a difference in the way you are, but he's matured and there's no denying he's a special talent."

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Burnley head coach Scott Parker spoke to BBC Radio Lancashire after his side returned to the automatic promotion places by beating Oxford.

"The first 45 minutes I thought we were nothing short of superb. We really dominated the game and we were everything we weren't at the weekend throughout," he said.

"We created a lot of chances and showed real quality.

"It's fair to say that going in at half-time 1-0 up was a little unjust because it could have been more. We missed some big chances.

"Overall I was delighted with the team, our general endeavour and the way we went about it tonight.

"Over the last few weeks we've been a little bit too desperate and tried to force things when really it wasn't open, and tonight I thought we showed a real balance - where to use passes to try and create bigger spaces, hence the chances we created.

"It comes from patience and manipulation of the opposition that opens up massive chances for us so I was really pleased with that."

Burnley could close the gap on Championship leaders Leeds to just two points if they can end their run of stalemates at Turf Moor when Oxford United visit on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT).

Burnley have scored the fewest number of goals of any team in the top six with 36 in 30 games, though the Clarets have by far the best defensive record across the entire top four divisions, conceding just nine league goals all season.

The Us could climb as high as 14th and put 13 points between themselves and the drop-zone if they can cause an upset in east Lancashire.

• Burnley have lost just two of their past 14 league games against Oxford United (W5 D7), winning their last such home match against the U's 3-2 in December 1999.

• Oxford United have won just one of their seven away league games against Burnley (D4 L2), a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor in January 1996.

• Each of Burnley's past three Championship home games have all finished 0-0. The only second tier side in English league history to have four successive home matches end goalless were Wolves in March/April 2016.

• Oxford United are unbeaten in four away league games (W1 D3), last going longer without defeat on the road in December 2022 (7 games).

• Oxford United's Gary Rowett has won none of his four Championship games against Burnley as a manager (D2 L2); only against Bournemouth (5) has he taken charge of more matches in the division without ever winning.

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Getting back to the Premier League is more of a priority than being exciting to watch according to the majority of Burnley supporters.

Third-placed Burnley have conceded only nine goals in their 30 Championship matches this season, keeping 21 clean sheets.

"I do feel we're prioritising being strong at the back to going forward but overall the fanbase is happy although there are murmurings about the style and things like that," Joe Redmond from the Burnley podcast Turfcast told the BBC's Monday Night Club.

"But it's about getting back there and if we're on the way to the Premier League it'll all be forgotten about."

At this stage of the season Burnley have conceded the fewest goals per game in EFL history with goalkeeper James Trafford keeping eight clean sheets in a row after a difficult time in the Premier League last season.

But despite their excellent defensive Burnley have only scored 36 goals in the league which, after Blackburn (34) makes them the lowest scorers in the Championship's top half.

"We're not exciting to watch but the record is brilliant especially James Trafford who has grown in confidence from last season where I felt it was too high too soon for him and not necessarily his fault," Redmond added.

"Esteve and Egan-Riley are a great defensive partnership and then you've got Connor Roberts and Bashir Humphreys as well but we're not great going forward though and that's the problem."