Burnley will be hoping to go four games undefeated when they host Newcastle United at Turf Moor on Tuesday night and a win could lift them out of the drop zone.
The Pre-amble:
The Clarets will be hoping to lift themselves out of the bottom three on Tuesday night when then play Newcastle United at Turf Moor. Burnley battled hard to earn a point against fellow strugglers Aston Villa at home last Saturday and although a third consecutive win would have been far better other results went our way and there are now a host of clubs within catching distance. Burnley remain second from bottom with eleven points from thirteen games with QPR now just above on goal difference by one goal following their 3-2 win against fellow strugglers, Leicester at Loftus Road on Saturday. That result condemned the Foxes to bottom place in the Premier League and they are now one point behind fellow promoted clubs, Burnley and QPR. Three points on Tuesday night depending on the other results this week could lift Burnley as high as 13th spot by the time they face QPR in a crucial six pointer at Loftus Road next Saturday. Sunderland currently occupy 13th and they have just three points more than the Clarets, next come Palace, West Brom and Villa only two points clear of Burnley closely followed by Hull and QPR only ahead on goal difference! It is all to play for on Tuesday night but you certainly can`t underestimate our opposition.
Newcastle are currently 8th in the table with 19 points from 13 games. Had we been playing the Toons a few weeks back a win looked a much better bet with Newcastle struggling at the wrong end of the table and their fans calling for manager Alan Pardew to resign. That all changed though when the Magpies went on a spectacular run of five successive league wins climbing to 5th in the table. It was perhaps a boost for Burnley`s chances though when their run finally came to an end following a 1-0 defeat by the Hammers at Upton Park last Saturday. Hopefully a little bit of doubt might now creep in as they line up against Burnley away from home again on Tuesday night. The Toons were also reduced to ten men against West Ham when in-form midfielder and captain, Moussa Sissoko was shown two yellows in the space of 46 seconds and sent off. He will now be suspended for the Burnley clash giving the Clarets one less thing to worry about and Pardew another headache!
Burnley fans will be hoping it`s time for Alan Pardew to once again endure the wrath of the Toon Army and one way of ensuring that will be to pick up three vital points against Newcastle on Tuesday night. Come on you Clarets!
Burnley Team News:
News is awaited on Michael Duff. He picked up an injury in the Stoke game two weeks ago and missed out on Saturday against Villa. Michael Keane could be set to make his second start for the Clarets should Duff remain sidelined. Scott Arfield was perhaps a surprise choice on the bench after recovering from a calf injury with most fans expecting him to be in the starting eleven against Villa and it will be interesting to see if he starts on Tuesday night. Sam Vokes (cruciate) and Matty Taylor (Achilles) remain sidelined. Vokes is making excellent progress though and looks close to a return. He came through his first 45 minutes in eight months unscathed in an Under 21 development squad game against Carlisle United at Gawthorpe last Tuesday afternoon and even scored a goal! Some media reports suggest he could be targeting the Southampton game at Turf Moor on Saturday December 13th to make a return.
Player to watch: Michael Keane
Burnley fans have not had chance to see much of the on-loan Manchester United defender but he did reasonably well after making his first start against Villa at home last Saturday as replacement for the injured Michael Duff. Perhaps he deserves a bit of an extended run whether Michael Duff is fit or not.
Newcastle United Team News:
Burnley fans will be relieved that in-form Newcastle captain, Moussa Sissoko will miss the clash at Turf Moor after being sent-off for a double yellow in the West Ham game at Upton Park last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Alan Pardew`s injury headaches continue.
Netherlands international keeper Tim Krul suffered ankle ligament damage during training in the build-up to Saturday’s match against West Ham and is likely to be sidelined for at least another four games. Rob Elliot looks set to continue in goal.
Defender Daryl Janmaat also came off with a hamstring injury in the West Ham game and news is awaited on whether he will be in contention.
Newcastle are already without forward Siem de Jong, midfielders Ryan Taylor, Rolando Aarons and Mehdi Abeid and defenders Fabricio Coloccini and Davide Santon
Player to watch: Papiss Cissé
Cissé is Newcastle`s top goal scorer this season with four goals. The 29 year old Senegal international striker signed for Newcastle United from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012 on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an estimated fee in the region of £9 million. He has since made 80 appearances for the club scoring 27 goals.
Team & Tactics:
I suspect Scott Arfield could be in line for a starting eleven place on Tuesday night at the expense of Michael Kightly. He had to be content with a place on the bench last Saturday against Villa until replacing Kightly in the 65th minute. Michael Keane could also make his second start should Duff still be out injured although Kevin Long might be hoping for a chance having been overlooked in recent games. Long was however an unused sub against Villa so could once again at least make the eighteen. Sean Dyche could be tempted to name the same eighteen again and it is likely we could line up something like this:
Heaton, Trippier, Keane, Shackell, Ward, Arfield, Marney, Jones, Boyd, Ings, Barnes
Subs from: Gilks, Long, Mee, Wallace, Kightly, Reid, Chalobah, Jutkiewicz, Sordell
Ref Watch:
Phil Dowd will be in charge of this clash. His last game involving the Clarets was only back in October when we earned a 2-2 draw against Leicester in the King Power Stadium. The Staffordshire referee has so far this season in his eleven games dished out 52 yellow cards including four in the Leicester game. Only two players though have been sent off this season.
Match Prediction:
Just all of a sudden the shine has been taken off Newcastle`s recent impressive form following their 1-0 defeat away to West Ham on Saturday. The loss of their captain, Moussa Sissoko who had been in excellent form of late could also weigh heavily on our opponents minds following his dismissal for two yellow cards last Saturday. Burnley should strike while the iron is hot and give the Toon fans further doubt that Alan Pardew is the right man to manage their club. 2-1 Clarets!
Next Match:
We travel down to West London on Saturday 6th December (Kick-Off: 3pm) for a vital six pointer against currently third-from-bottom club, QPR.
