In a dramatic turn of events at Deepdale, Preston North End secured a historic victory over Burnley, advancing to the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1966. The 3-0 triumph marked Preston's first win against Burnley in 16 years, ending Burnley's impressive 23-game unbeaten run. The encounter was tense from the outset, fueled by pre-game tensions that saw Burnley's players refuse to shake hands with Preston's coach, Radojica Osmajic.
Burnley arrived at the match riding high on a streak of 12 consecutive Championship clean sheets, having not conceded a goal in 850 minutes of play. Their defensive prowess had been unbroken since their 3-1 FA Cup third-round win at Reading. However, their formidable record was shattered when Robbie Brady opened the scoring for Preston with a sublime long-range free-kick. This goal was particularly special for Brady, marking his first club goal in over a year.
Preston's dominance continued as Milutin Osmajic doubled their lead with a neat finish just before half-time. The game concluded with Preston securing a comprehensive 3-0 victory, a significant upset given Burnley's recent form. The result also ended Burnley's 12-game unbeaten run in the Championship, underscoring the magnitude of Preston's achievement.
Despite the pre-game controversy surrounding Osmajic, Preston's boss Paul Heckingbottom decided to keep him in the starting lineup.
"If he [Osmajic] wouldn't have been up for it, yeah. But he was fine, he wanted to be involved. We discussed possible things that were going to be said, but he wanted to play." – Paul Heckingbottom
Heckingbottom further elaborated on his decision to include Osmajic despite the tensions.
"That issue is getting dealt with but what I can't do is let that impact the rest of the players and their chances of progressing in the FA Cup. If I felt or he felt he couldn't be professional enough, he wouldn't have been involved." – Paul Heckingbottom
On the other side, Burnley's manager Scott Parker opted to leave Hannibal out of the matchday squad as a preventive measure.
Parker expressed his disappointment in his team's performance.
"I thought we fell short in the basics and the foundation of the game. We were second best to a lot of things really. I thought before their goal it was nip and tuck." – Scott Parker
The match was indeed tightly contested until Brady's opening goal shifted the momentum decisively in Preston’s favor. With this victory, Preston not only ended Burnley's unbeaten streak but also showcased their potential to compete at higher levels in the FA Cup.
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