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Burnley returns to Premier League after topping QPR

Reuters

Burnley has returned to England's top flight after a season in the second tier courtesy of Monday's 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

Striker Sam Vokes opened the scoring in the 61st minute with a glancing header on a dead ball that eluded QPR keeper Matt Ingram.

The victory means Burnley is unbeaten in its last 22 league matches, including draws against promotion contenders Middlesbrough and Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to last-minute equalisers from Michael Keane in both matches.

The Clarets were handed a boost earlier in the day when Derby snagged a draw at Brighton & Hove Albion despite James Wilson's injury-time equaliser for the Seagulls, meaning a win for Burnley would hand the Lancashire outfit its Premier League ticket.

Burnley was Championship runners-up in 2013-14, handing Sean Dyche's lot its first top-flight campaign since an 18th-place Premier League finish in 2009-10. With a modest budget and a squad littered with players short on top-tier experience, Burnley finished 19th in the Premier League last season.

That budget has since been bolstered by the sale of striker Danny Ings to Liverpool and the subsequent Premier League ruling on the fee owed to the Turf Moor residents.

Related: Liverpool ordered to pay Burnley up to £8M for striker Ings

Having grabbed one of two automatic promotion spots, Brighton and Middlesbrough - both on 88 points with a match to play - will vie for the final berth. The unsuccessful side will be forced to fight for Premier League promotion alongside three other clubs.

Chris Hughton's south coast side travels to Boro next Saturday in a pivotal clash that'll cement which club joins Burnley in automatic promotion.

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