Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento both scored twice as Burnley emphatically maintained their Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.
Josh Cullen also netted in a one-sided game as the Clarets, already promoted along with Leeds, won with ease to move to the top of the table, three points ahead of the Yorkshire side.
However, Leeds, who are at home to Bristol City on Monday evening, have a superior goal difference and know winning their final two matches will almost certainly seal the title. Both teams could finish the campaign with 100 points.
Scott Parker’s side are now unbeaten in 32 league games, have lost just twice this season and conceded just 15 goals.
Scoring goals had been more of an issue for the Clarets but they had no issues finding the back of Paul Nardi’s net at Loftus Road.
Cullen put the visitors ahead with a well-taken goal after nine minutes.
Jimmy Dunne attempted to head clear goalkeeper James Trafford’s long kick but the ball dropped to Cullen, who played it in towards Flemming and continued into the box. Flemming held the ball up for Josh Brownhill, who threaded it through for Cullen to slot past keeper Nardi.
The lively Flemming doubled the lead 11 minutes later, following a sweeping move from one end of the pitch to the other.
Lucas Koleosho went past Kenneth Paal on the right and crossed low towards Connor Roberts. The Welshman was denied by Dunne’s goal-line block but the ball was then nudged by Hannibal Mejbri to Flemming, who netted from close range.
Flemming helped himself to another goal – his 14th of the season – after 28 minutes, sneaking behind Dunne and Liam Morrison to head home Brownhill’s cross from the right.
Edwards then cleared off the line to deny Flemming a hat-trick as Burnley threatened to run riot.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes made a double substitution at half-time, sending on striker Michael Frey and playmaker Ilias Chair – both recently back from injury – in an attempt to stem the tide.
Rangers were better in the second half, but Burnley had total control.
Flemming was again denied a hat-trick, this time by Dunne’s saving challenge, before Nardi kept out Brownhill’s shot after R’s forward Rayan Kolli had given the ball away.
Trafford was finally called into action when he gathered Harrison Ashby’s shot, but that was a rare Rangers attack – and Sarmiento’s 62nd-minute goal made it four shortly after he came on as a substitute.
Again there was nice link-up play involved, with Brownhill and Flemming exchanging passes before Sarmiento turned away from Morrison and then saw his shot deflected in by the Scottish defender.
And in stoppage time, Nathan Redmond found space on the right and sent in a low cross towards Sarmiento, who swept a first-time strike past Nardi.
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- 4 Rangers thump Aberdeen to end five-match winless streak at Ibrox
- 5 Newcastle beat 10-man Chelsea to take step towards Champions League spot
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