Breaking records, exploiting the space and Boyd is back: Preston 0 Burnley 1 talking points

This team are making a habit of setting new benchmarks and writing their names into the Turf Moor record books.

The win at Preston extended the league unbeaten run to 21 games, setting a post-War record for the longest run without defeat in a single season.

The 20 game unbeaten run of 1981/82 was beaten with the 1-0 win on Friday night.

The 22 game mark in 1972 was spread across two seasons and that is the next target in sight for Sean Dyche’s side.

They will equal it if they avoid defeat against Queens Park Rangers and could break it on the last day of the season.

You can tell there is a great deal of pride at their achievements and this unbeaten run is quite astonishing. Burnley are within two games of going half a Championship season unbeaten, in this the most unpredictable league of all.

In the aftermath of the 3-0 defeat to Hull on Boxing Day, when many of the travelling supporters returned to homes hit by the devastating floods, few could have foreseen this coming.

EXPLOITING THE SPACE

Preston have alternated between a back four and a back three this season. They played the four man defence in the 2-2 draw with Birmingham on Tuesday night but there was a suggestion they would go to wing-backs for the visit of the Clarets and so it proved.

Sean Dyche and his staff were clearly expecting it and for half an hour they were utterly dominant. The only surprise was Simon Grayson left it that long to switch to a back four. He was lucky his side were still in touch at that point. They could have been out of the game.

It was too easy for George Boyd and Scott Arfield to get to work in the space behind Calum Woods or Adam Reach, who were playing more like wingers than full-backs.

If it wasn’t Boyd or Arfield operating in that space it was Andre Gray. It was the source of a number of first half chances, with Arfield and Gray having shots blocked after Boyd had snuck into the space on Preston’s right.

The switch to a 4-4-2 steadied the tide a touch for Preston, but it was Burnley who continued to dominate.

BOYD BACK ON FORM

Talking of George Boyd the former Hull City winger is in the best form he’s been in all season at the moment.

He was superb at Birmingham a week ago, scoring one goal and setting another up, and it is clear his confidence has returned.

It was against Cardiff a couple of weeks ago when he was presented with a golden chance to open the scoring, but instead of taking it first time on his left foot, he took a touch, went with his right and allowed the defender the chance to close him down.

How quickly things can change in this game.

At Preston Boyd was again a shining light for the Clarets. His workrate is never in doubt, we all know how far and how hard he runs in every single game, it’s a huge asset to this side and a big help to the full-backs.

But at Deepdale he was bringing out all the tricks, turning on a sixpence, nutmegging defenders and generally showing the confidence that comes with a run of good performances.

His lofted pass that saw Gray hit the post early in the second half was superb and he was on hand seconds later to send his own drive against the crossbar. His performance deserved a goal.