Dan Black's match verdict: Will Vincent Kompany's Burnley earn the right to be considered one of the Championship's greatest ever sides?

Yes, I know, just days ago I was encouraging supporters to manage their expectations, while taking a long, hard look at themselves, following the disappointment that spawned in light of a Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford.

So you might think the Christmas sherry has gone to my head. However, statistically, at the very least, Vincent Kompany's Clarets have every possibility of emulating a handful of some of the division's best ever entertainers, who rubber stamped Premier League football at a canter.

I might be incredibly premature with this prophecy — there's just short of half-a-season remaining after all — but after the league leaders hit the 50-point milestone with yet another effortless success, my intrigue was awakened.

The table-toppers are now halfway to emulating a landmark that has only been reached by five clubs during the lifespan of England's second tier. That in itself demonstrates just how difficult the skill of reaching three-figures is to master.

Sunderland were the first to hit triple digits in 1998/99 as the League Cup semi-finalists lost just three games all season on the way to posting 105 points, a record that would only be bettered by one team.

Fulham sealed promotion with five games remaining when winning the title in 2000/01, under the management of Jean Tigana, and backed by the financial clout of Mohamed Al-Fayed, with 101 points and a goal difference of +58.

Next was record-holders Reading, in 2005/06, who lost just once after the opening day of term, and scored 99 times, on the way to accruing a staggering 106 points.

Newcastle United, in 2009/10, and Leicester City, when beating Burnley to top spot in 2013/14, also reached the magic number, with both posting 102 points.

It might seem nothing more than a pipe dream at present, but the Clarets went close twice under Sean Dyche, amassing 93 points on both occasions, so it's hardly beyond the realms of possibility.

The 'Class of 22/23' has still got plenty to do but, in the company of Kompany, they've got a serious chance. The ex-Belgium international is a natural-born winner and, whether he cares to admit it or not, he would love to turn this season into a point of reference for other teams in the future, just as the aforementioned quintet did.

As a signifier of his drive and ambition, in the aftermath of his side making it eight league wins from nine with a 3-0 win over Birmingham City at Turf Moor, he said: "It's still not good enough, though. There's one game missing in there!"

Burnley will have to eclipse the first half of the season if they're to win entry to that very exclusive '100' club, but that won't be too much of a challenge considering they're only going to keep on getting better and better.

They've adapted to Kompany's style, become more familiar with each other's strengths, weaknesses and nuances, they're more streetwise, shipping late goals and conceding from unforced errors has become a thing of the past, they're far more clinical and they're winning games with ease.

Their triumph over the Blues on Tuesday evening was also the first time that Kompany had summer signings Anass Zaroury, Manuel Benson, Nathan Tella, Scott Twine and Darko Churlinov — all players of a similar ilk — at his disposal.

Burnley, on paper, and off it, look a frightening prospect. "It is needed," assured Kompany. "Just for the volume of games, form, injuries, bookings. You can look at spells of games we have won with a lot of players not available.

"But the good thing is it is hard to name who did it for us on that day. Sometimes it was Gudmundsson, sometimes it was Barnes, then it was someone else. And we put in the effort as a coaching staff to make sure these guys are all ready when they are called upon."

John Eustace wasn't the first, and he won't be the last, to claim that 'Burnley are the best team in the league'. His side were only able to muster a single shot on goal, which was off-target, and a measly 33 per cent possession over the course of 90 minutes.

That's a marker of just how far the Clarets have come in such a short space of time, given just how troublesome their opponents had been at St Andrews in mid-October.

Kompany confirmed: "Birmingham gave us a tough time when we played there, it was a game where I thought if we didn't step up we could be experiencing the same type of game. I always trust the team because they work hard, which gives you a chance, but I knew it could be tough."

Zaroury illustrated maturity beyond his years when coming down from cloud nine — following the furore of Morocco's World Cup exploits and the subsequent celebrations — to score within 50 seconds of his return to action.

The 22-year-old, who featured in the Atlas Lions' third place play-off against Croatia in Qatar, powered the ball past John Ruddy when stepping on to Connor Roberts' pull back.

"I don't think the normal mortal human being will understand the challenge there is to go on a bus tour in front of millions of people in your country and then turn up the next day and still do your job as if you haven't done anything yet in your life," said Kompany. "As long as he keeps doing that then the sky's the limit, but we'll just monitor those habits. It's a terrific way to come back."

His contribution would later be applauded by England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, who was housed in the Bob Lord Stand in support of younger brother, Jobe, who would replace Marc Roberts with little over 10 minutes remaining.

Roberts doubled the home side's lead on the stroke of half-time when continuing his run after swapping passes with Josh Brownhill and finishing with his left foot having cushioned the ball with his right.

"He was terrific," Kompany said. "And on the ball, which is something we expect from every player in the team, is to contribute to attacking play and perhaps even score a goal.

"And the way he scored that goal is not even the first time this season and that is good because it changes the threat when it comes from different places and I thought he did really well."

Tella, who replaced Benson in the 62nd minute, rounded things off in the third minute of second half stoppage time, running onto fellow substitute Charlie Taylor's inch-perfect pass, and keeping his cool to slide the ball past Ruddy to register his eighth goal of the campaign.

Top-of-the-table Burnley, the highest scorers (43) in the top four tiers of English football's hierarchy, and who have now shipped the second fewest goals (24) in the Championship alongside Watford and Preston North End, really are going to take some stopping in this kind of form.