Burnley boss Scott Parker never doubted his players would maintain their intensity despite promotion having already been achieved.
The Clarets emphatically boosted their Sky Bet Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.
It moved them to the top of the table, three points ahead of Leeds, although the Yorkshire side, who are at home to Bristol City on Monday, have a superior goal difference and know winning their final two matches would almost certainly seal the title. Both teams could finish the campaign with 100 points.
Burnley are now unbeaten in 32 league games, have lost just twice this season and conceded only 15 goals.
And with their main objective achieved, they showed no sign of easing up against sorry Rangers, which came as no surprise to Parker.
“There was no doubt about that whatsoever. I consistently say about this group that they just keep coming,” he said.
“Obviously my job is to remind them at times, but it’s got to the stage where that takes care of itself really.
“It’s probably easy in these moments to maybe take your foot off a little bit, with part of it being done, but full focus on us trying to win this league now and I thought that performance showed that.
“We always had belief. There’s always noise and people wanting to be critical, but I always had belief and the team always had belief. We’ve had rock-solid belief and knew we had quality.
“I’m always telling the lads that with determination, commitment and rock-solid belief you get to where you need to get to – and that’s been proved over the course of this year.”
Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento both scored twice and Josh Cullen also netted in a totally one-sided game at Loftus Road.
“I thought we were incredible. It was arguably one of our best performances,” said Parker, whose team will end the campaign with a home match against Millwall next Saturday.
“One left now. We’ll go into that game in front of our home fans and try to replicate this performance.”
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes, meanwhile, insisted he is happy at the club despite recent speculation about his future.
Rangers fans, not for the first time this season, made their support of the Spaniard clear despite a woeful performance from their team, who have avoided relegation despite an injury-plagued campaign.
“I said before that as long as I’m wanted, I’m very happy,” Cifuentes said.
“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.”
David Martindale believes the pressure is off his Livingston side after they booked their place in the Premiership play-off final with a comfortable victory over Partick Thistle.The Lions progressed 4-0 on aggregate, securing a second 2-0 win with Jamie Brandon’s opener added to by Stevie May’s stunning half-volley.They will now face either Dundee or Ross County over two legs, with the...
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca pointed to Marc Cucurella’s Barcelona connections after the defender headed the only goal against Manchester United to keep his side’s Champions League hopes in their own hands.The 26-year-old got on the end of Reece James’ cross in the 71st minute to power home his seventh goal of the season and rescue the Blues just as two vital points looked to ...
Walsall boss Mat Sadler said guiding the Saddlers to a play-off final is the proudest moment of his footballing career after they completed a 4-1 aggregate win over Chesterfield.Late goals from Charlie Lakin and Levi Amantchi – with an Armando Dobra consolation for the Spireites in between – earned Walsall a 2-1 victory on the night.And it provided a measure of redemption for a side wh...
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery could not give any assurances over the future of Emiliano Martinez after the goalkeeper was in tears following his side’s 2-0 win over Europa League finalists Tottenham.The Argentina international has been linked with a move away from Villa Park this summer and he was emotional at full-time of Villa’s final home game of the season.Asked about the 32-year-old...
Marc Cucurella was once again Chelsea’s hero as his headed goal earned a potentially season-defining 1-0 win over Manchester United just as his side’s Champions League hopes looked to be slipping away.With 20 minutes remaining at Stamford Bridge the Blues were set to head into the final day of the Premier League season with their top-five fate out of their hands, with more poor finishi...
Walsall booked a place in the League Two play-off final by completing a 4-1 aggregate victory over Chesterfield with a 2-1 win at the Poundland Bescot Stadium.Holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg, the Saddlers defended resolutely and effectively sealed progress nine minutes from time through Charlie Lakin’s close-range finish.Armando Dobra netted a stoppage-time Chesterfield consolation but...
Livingston eased into the final of the William Hill Premiership play-offs with a comfortable 4-0 aggregate victory over Partick Thistle.Leading 2-0 from the first leg, progression for David Martindale’s side was rarely in doubt after Jamie Brandon powered them ahead five minutes before half-time.Stevie May’s sensational half-volley midway through the second half extinguished any hope o...
East Fife secured promotion to Scottish League One after a 1-1 draw at Annan clinched them a 4-3 aggregate win in their two-legged play-off final.Dick Campbell’s Fifers, who won the first leg 3-2 on Tuesday night at Bayview Stadium, fell behind on the night to an early opener from Tommy Goss, but Adam Laaref’s first-half equaliser proved decisive.Annan, without suspended pair Scott Hoo...
Aston Villa boosted their hopes of a Champions League return after a 2-0 victory over Tottenham, who had more than one eye on Wednesday’s Europa League final.Villa’s memorable run to the quarter-finals of this season’s competition gave them the taste for more and they boosted their hopes with an eighth win from their last nine Premier League games.This was probably the biggest ho...
MARC GUEHI is ready to run down his contract to land a dream move to Barcelona or Real Madrid.Crystal Palace’s captain, 24, has a year left on his deal — with Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham all chasing him.Marc Guehi has excelled for Crystal PalaceThe Toon are favourites to land the England defender this summer — but a free transfer to a Spanish giant in 2026 is on the cards....
- 1 Richie Wellens hails Leyton Orient’s ‘outstanding’ victory over Stockport
- 2 Man Utd are losing the feeling of being a massive club – Ruben Amorim
- 3 Eddie Howe tells Newcastle to ‘drive forward’ and seal Champions League spot
- 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
- 6 We will see – no Unai Emery assurances over future of tearful Emiliano Martinez
- 7 Leyton Orient book Wembley date by beating Stockport on penalties
- 8 Albanian Laura Woods goes braless in pink top
- 9 AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson wary of Notts County fightback in second leg
- 10 Brendan Rodgers hits out at ‘needless challenge’ on Reo Hatate