Burnley went back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship after holding on to beat Norwich 2-1 at Turf Moor and extend their unbeaten league run to 29 matches.
Goals from Hannibal Mejbri and Jaidon Anthony before the break were reward for a dominant first-half display by the Clarets, who moved three points clear of overnight leaders Leeds.
Norwich were much improved in the second half and substitute Jack Stacey pulled one back, but Scott Parker’s side stood firm to also extend their unbeaten home league run this season to 21 matches.
Burnley dominated early possession and their patient probing paid off when Mejbri stole in behind the visitors’ defence to give the home side a 14th-minute lead.
The Tunisia midfielder darted on to Josh Cullen’s inch-perfect free-kick into the penalty area and kept his composure to steer a low finish beyond Angus Gunn for his first goal for the club.
Norwich wasted the chance of an immediate response as the unmarked Kellen Fisher headed straight at James Trafford six yards out from skipper Kenny McLean’s excellent cross.
Burnley were buoyed by their early breakthrough and their crisp inter-play was easy on the eye as Norwich struggled to contain them.
And, while the Clarets’ second goal came via a big deflection, it was no less than they deserved.
The automatic promotion race continues to heat up! 🔥
👀 Tomorrow:@LUFC 🆚 Preston North EndPlymouth Argyle 🆚 @SheffieldUnited #EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/nT4MhC52Dc
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) April 11, 2025
Anthony’s shot from outside the box struck Norwich captain Shane Duffy on the back and wrong-footed Gunn in the 24th minute.
Parker’s side had conceded only five goals at Turf Moor this season before Norwich’s visit and the visitors passed up another clear chance to make that six shortly before half-time.
Borja Sainz raced clear into the area and, with just Trafford to beat, the Championship’s 17-goal leading scorer lifted his effort over the Burnley goalkeeper and narrowly wide of his left-hand post.
Mejbri then went close to putting Burnley 3-0 up two minutes before the interval with a curling effort from the edge of the box which clipped the outside of a post.
Norwich were vastly improved after the restart and enjoyed their best spell of possession before Mejbri was denied a second goal again – after his brilliant turn in the box – by Duffy’s last-gasp block.
Four goals in five games for @BurnleyOfficial''s Jaidon Anthony! 🔥#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/E0szAkJJAo
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) April 11, 2025
But Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side, with substitute Josh Sargent to the fore, began to pose Burnley problems of their own.
Stacey, a 67th-minute replacement for Emiliano Marcondes, hauled the Canaries back in it in the 76th minute to set up a nervous finale.
McLean headed a corner goalwards and Stacey was first to react, turning the ball home from close range for a rare goal conceded by Trafford on home soil this season.
Norwich continued to press forward in the closing stages but were denied further scoring chances as their outside play-off hopes were dealt another blow.
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