Burnley held likely Premier League champions Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor on Sunday, collecting a deserved point to edge further away from the relegation zone after Robbie Brady's pearl of a free kick cancelled out Pedro's early opener.
The Clarets defended superbly in the second half to restrict the Blues to potshots and with 30 points already on the board, Sean Dyche's side are close to sealing Premier League survival for the first time.
Positives
Chelsea have been so rampant this season that stopping the Blues is a massive achievement for any club, particularly one where the budget is a fraction of that enjoyed by the league leaders.
Burnley even had the better chances to win the game, with Matt Lowton and Andre Gray both denied by Thibaut Courtois when played through on goal, but a draw was a fair result overall, while the driving wind and sleet were appalling conditions for football.
Negatives
For the first 20 minutes or so, the Clarets found it impossible to cope with Chelsea's pace and movement in attack and they were on the ropes. Had the visitors been more clinical with their opportunities, they could have wrapped up the match before Burnley settled.
Gradually Dyche's men got a grip in midfield and they even forced Antonio Conte to switch from the 3-4-3 formation that has swept the league away in the last few months. There was, understandably, little attacking ambition from the hosts to try to win the game in the closing stages.
Manager rating out of 10
7 -- Dyche was bold and stuck with 4-4-2 despite the likelihood of his side being overrun in midfield and the gamble paid off, with the Clarets providing enough threat of their own to keep Chelsea from dominating too much. The 4-4-2 caused so many problems for the Blues in attack that Conte switched his shape to match Burnley late in the game and his side still failed to find a way through.
It was a very good day for Dyche overall, but the substitution of leading goal threat Andre Gray raised eyebrows and the continued selection of George Boyd and Ashley Barnes is questionable too.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Tom Heaton, 6 -- Burnley's defence was in such good form that Heaton only had one save to make, while he could do little about Pedro's goal. His kicking was unusually wild, but conditions were a factor too.
DF Matt Lowton, 7 -- The right-back grew into the game after struggling early on against Eden Hazard. He also had a good chance to score but was denied by Courtois, while he collected a booking too.
DF Michael Keane, 8 -- It is somewhat cliched to suggest a defender had a forward in his pocket, but Diego Costa was so unusually quiet that the masterful Keane may well have had the Chelsea forward tucked away in the lining of his shorts.
DF Ben Mee, 7 -- Mee's passing was better than defensive colleague Keane on the day, while his trademark array of blocks and clearances were on full display in a solid day's work.
DF Stephen Ward, 7 -- Both full-backs put in strong performances in defence, but there were few signs of Ward's all-Ireland combination with Robbie Brady providing anything particularly creative in attack.
MF George Boyd, 6 -- Boyd took time to adapt to the pace of the game and he barely featured before the interval, but after the break his pressing played a key role in the Clarets' defensive solidity.
MF Joey Barton, 8 -- It was another all-action display from the veteran. He set up Lowton for his chance and he also won the free kick from which Brady scored. Conte will surely know his name now.
MF Ashley Westwood, 7 -- On his full debut, Westwood was mostly careful and drama-free in possession although he did pick up a booking for stopping a Chelsea attack launched by a rare loose pass.
MF Robbie Brady, 7 -- A stunning free kick showed why Burnley made Brady their club-record signing, but in open play the Irishman often seemed off the pace. There is much more to come from him.
FW Andre Gray, 6 -- Although Gray should have scored when played through on goal by strike partner Barnes, it was still odd to see him substituted with a few minutes to go and the points up for grabs.
FW Ashley Barnes, 6 -- Perhaps fortunate to escape punishment for a nasty elbow on Cesar Azpilicueta, Barnes was another who struggled badly in the first half, but he improved vastly after the interval.
Substitutes
MF Scott Arfield, 6 -- Arfield was a negative choice of substitute by Dyche, with Johann Gudmundsson likely to provide more creativity on the wing, but the Scot worked very hard to preserve the point.
FW Sam Vokes, NR -- The big striker did not have a sniff of goal in his eight minutes on the pitch.