Burnley thrash QPR to put title pressure on Leeds

Josh Cullen opened the scoring as Burnley put five goals past Queens Park Rangers

Premier League-bound Burnley hammered Queens Park Rangers to move top of the Championship table and ensure the title race will go down to the final day of the season.

The visitors are already assured of automatic promotion and moved three points ahead of Leeds United, who face Bristol City at Elland Road on Monday.

Goals from Josh Cullen and two from Zian Flemming put the Clarets in control at the end of the first-half, which they dominated.

Jeremy Sarmiento scored twice off the bench to wrap up the win for Burnley and extend their unbeaten league run to 32 games.

Burnley face Millwall, the last side to beat them in November, on the final day of the season and will finish on 100 points with victory at Turf Moor, while QPR will travel to Sunderland.

Five-star Clarets extend unbeaten run to 32 games

Zian Flemming scored twice to give the Clarets a 3-0 lead at the break

Burnley have been lauded for their defensive performances this season but Scott Parker's team showed all their attacking prowess in a blistering first-half display in which they had 71% possession, seven shots on target and the ball in the net on six occasions.

They cut through the hosts with a slick passing move on nine minutes.

Cullen started and finished a fine team move, as captain Josh Brownhill's through ball nutmegged Jack Colback and found Cullen, who had continued his run into the box, before he rolled the ball with precision past Paul Nardi for his second goal of the season.

Connor Roberts had the ball in the net again for the visitors with a smart finish but had just strayed offside.

The second goal came shortly after through another scintillating team move from front to back.

Luca Koleosho ran down the right before pulling the ball back to Roberts, whose goalbound shot was well blocked by Jimmy Dunne.

The ball came out to Flemming, who crashed in via a deflection off Dunne on the line as Burnley took a fully-deserved two-goal lead.

The rampant Clarets made it three-nil before the half-hour mark as Flemming headed in his second from Brownhill's cross from the edge of the box.

He headed in again shortly later but Jaidon Anthony had been unable to keep the ball in play before he cut it back for the Dutchman to nod in.

Ronnie Edwards had to be at full stretch to prevent a fourth after Nardi gave the ball away.

On a rare occasion the hosts did get forward, the Clarets defenders showed great desire to get back in numbers and snuff out the danger.

Despite an improved performance after the half-time introductions of Ilias Chair and Michael Frey, QPR couldn't find a way through Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford, who has now equalled the record for most clean sheets in a season in the top four English leagues with 29.

Sarmiento added a fourth moments after coming off the bench, Brownhill and Flemming again involved, as the Ecuadorian's shot deflected beyond Nardi.

Trafford got down to well to save Colback's goalbound effort as Burnley fought to preserve their clean sheet.

Nathan Redmond came off the bench for just his third appearance of the season to set up Sarmiento for his second - and Burnley's fifth - in added time.

Burnley boss Scott Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was a classy performance - I thought we were excellent.

"Everything we prepped for the game, the boys nailed it to a tee. We were pretty ruthless and I asked for that.

"It's been a busy week, full of excitement and joy and a bit of relief as well.

"We needed to switch that mindset and become this ruthless animal that we've been for large parts this year - we were superb."

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes [on speculation over his future]:

"I said before that as long as I'm wanted, I'm very happy.

"The way the fans have been supporting me, it makes me feel that I want to give them something back even more than the last two seasons.

"In any case I am very calm about the job I have done and the fact that we have achieved what were difficult targets.

"I'm an ambitious person in the sense that I always push myself. I always want to improve. I have a contract and I want to keep improving. I enjoy my job here, enjoy English football, and am ready for more.

"I've said that the support from the fans that I've got this season, in very difficult moments, is something that I have never seen before and will stay with me forever.

"That's why I'm very sad today. Today hurts. It doesn't define what this team has done this season and it's very sad to finish that way."