Burnley play Hull City at Turf Moor on Monday night in a rearranged game from Saturday following Sky Sports` decision to televise the match live.
The Pre-amble:
The lack of Saturday games at Turf Moor continued at the weekend when we should have been playing Hull City. The match instead is now being played on Monday night with Sky Sports deciding to cover the game live and demanding the fixture change. The Saturday games though were relatively kind on the Clarets and they remained in 11th spot with 48 points from 36 games. Nottingham Forest are now the team in sixth place and they have nine more points than the Clarets but have played a game more. If the Clarets can beat Hull City on Monday night they will move to within six points of the play-offs. Burnley are Hull City`s bogey team to say the least. The Clarets have beaten the Tigers in their last seven meetings but could they do it again? It will certainly be difficult this time with Hull City flying-high and in the hunt for an automatic promotion place. Steve Bruce`s men are currently in 4th place with 65 points from 36 games just one point behind Watford in second who have also played a game more. Although they have a pretty impressive home form, their away form of late has been disappointing and they have lost the last three on the bounce, including the last two games where they leaked four goals in each match after losing 4-1 to Bolton and then in midweek 4-2 to Palace. The chances that Burnley could reach the play-offs look pretty remote but the home fans badly need a win at Turf Moor to cheer the place up! They have not won in four games on home soil with their last victory being against Palace back in mid January. A win could also still keep us in the play-offs hunt despite the chances not looking great. Come on you Clarets!
Burnley Team News:
Both defenders, Michael Duff (calf) and Ben Mee (knee) are thought to be fit again and could be in contention against Hull City. Ross Wallace though looks set to remain sidelined with a knee injury. Although Dean Marney trained this week tightness in his calf could still prevent him playing against his former club.
Player to watch: Danny Lafferty
Lafferty seems to be growing in confidence and is beginning to make that left back spot his own. It will be interesting to see, with Ben Mee reportedly fit again whether he will retain his place.
Hull City Team News:
Tigers midfielder Corry Evans has been ruled out due to a thigh strain which he suffered during the warm-up ahead of the midweek defeat to Crystal Palace. He looks set to be sidelined for about two weeks. Another midfielder, Tom Cairney could also miss out after sustaining an unspecified injury in training this Monday. Defenders Paul McShane (hamstring) and Abdoulaye midfielder Faye (calf) were named on the bench on Tuesday night and could be in contention. Strikers Sone Aluko and Matty Fryatt have both undergone successful operations to repair respective Achilles tendon injuries but it is too early for them to be considered. Hull City gaffer, Steve Bruce has no other new injury or suspension problems and could name an unchanged starting eleven despite the 4-2 defeat by Palace.
Player to watch: George Boyd
27 year old Peterborough winger, George Boyd joined Hull City on loan in February 2013 until the end of the 2012-13 season, with a view to a permanent move. This will be the third time now he has lined up against the Clarets this season! He has already scored twice in three appearances for the Tigers getting a brace on his debut for Hull in a 5-2 tonking of Birmingham City. So much for the eye condition that prevented his move to Forest!
Team & Tactics:
Dyche has opted for the same starting eleven in the last two games but Tuesday night`s performance against Barnsley was pretty grim compared to the previous game away to Charlton so he could be tempted to make some changes. Chris McCann, having recovered from injury was named on the bench for Tuesday night`s game and came on to replace Edgar in the 53rd minute. He could be in line for a starting place. The back four have generally performed well in recent games and despite news that Duff and Mee could both be fit again, I suspect Dyche will not dabble with the back line. Burnley have also looked more effective playing two strikers up front and we could expect Paterson and Austin to again take on that role against Hull City. It worked well against Charlton but was less effective on Tuesday night. The line-up then could look like this:
Grant, Trippier, Shackell, Long, Lafferty, Stanislas, McCann, Bartley, Kacaniklic, Paterson, Austin
Subs: Jensen, Mills, Stock (or Edgar), Treacy, McCann, Vokes, Ings
Ref Watch:
Tyne & Wear referee, Eddie Ilderton gets this one! In his 26 games so far this season, four players have been sent off and another 84 players have picked up yellow cards. His last game in charge involving the Clarets was earlier this season in the match at St Andews back in December. We drew 2-2 against Birmingham and six players were shown yellow cards that day but just two of them were Clarets (Mills and McCann)
Match Prediction:
Burnley are struggling with form at home and Hull City are flying high in 4th spot and going for automatic promotion. We can`t keep beating Hull and this game has ‘draw` written all over it! 2-2
Next Match:
No prizes for guessing the next match! It`s the biggy away to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday 17th March and it`s an early kick-off as well at 12:30 pm.
