Burnley will play high-flying Manchester City in the Etihad on Sunday still looking for some festive cheer following two consecutive defeats.
The Pre-amble:
The Clarets play their last game of 2014 on Sunday and they don`t come any harder than Manchester City away! It has not been a rewarding Christmas for Burnley so far despite the Clarets probably playing their best football of the season at the moment. They have been unlucky to come away from their last two games with nothing after suffering narrow defeats away to Spurs last Saturday and then Liverpool at home on Boxing Day but the reality is we are back in the relegation zone and the situation could get worse before it hopefully gets better. Burnley are second from bottom five points above bottom club Leicester City and just behind Crystal Palace on goal difference. Hull City are 17th with a point more than the Clarets whilst both QPR in 16th and West Brom in 15th are two points clear of Burnley. Somehow we have to keep all these clubs within catching distance but that gap could widen when you look at the opposition on Sunday.
High-flying Manchester City are unbeaten in ten consecutive games in all competitions and indeed have won all those games apart from a 2-2 draw away to relegation rivals, QPR back in November. Manuel Pellegrini`s men are in rampant form and take no prisoners especially those trying to avoid the drop! Their last three games have involved teams in the bottom six places and they have despatched West Brom away 3-1, Palace at home 3-0 and Leicester away 1-0. Sunderland too also recently suffered a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of City. Only QPR out of the bottom eight clubs have managed to pick up a point against City so far this season so can Burnley break the mould and somehow achieve a miracle in the Etihad on Sunday? It`s a tough ask and most pundits would give the Clarets no chance. It certainly would make our Christmas to come away from the Etihad with a point or more but stranger things have happened. Clarets fans will remember the last time we played in this ground, then called the City of Manchester Stadium, back in 2009! We actually managed to get a two goal lead before having to be content with a 3-3 draw! Boy, would I take that result again but you just can`t see it can you? Be honest!
Manchester City Team News:
Sergio Aguero remains sidelined with ligament damage to his left knee. The Argentina striker picked up the injury in City`s 1-0 home win over Everton in early December and has missed the last four games. Although he is said to be making a remarkable recovery, he won`t be fit enough to play until the early New Year so all Clarets fans can breathe a sigh of relief!
Striker, Edin Dzeko is also still out with a calf injury and is not due back until mid-January, but forward Stevan Jovetic who had an ongoing hamstring problem which had kept him out of City`s last three games before Boxing Day was named on the bench against West Brom so looks to be back in contention. City though will once again be without skipper Vincent Kompany, who has had a recurrence of a hamstring strain. He is making good progress by all accounts and could be fit to face Sunderland on New Year`s Day but not Burnley on Sunday!!
Player to watch: All of them!
It is impossible to single out an individual to watch with so many expensive, high profile players in the team. The only comfort is that they will still be without injured striker and leading goal-scorer, Sergio Aguero who has already notched up 19 goals for City so far this season.
Burnley Team News:
Sean Dyche could face a headache in the centre of defence unless Michael Duff has returned to full fitness. The problem is on-loan Manchester United defender; Michael Keane may have already played his last game for the Clarets unless the loan deal can be extended. Duff has also been suffering with a calf injury and although back in training has missed the last six games.
Stephen Ward (fractured ankle) and Matty Taylor (Achilles) also look set to remain sidelined.
It will also be interesting to see who will partner Danny Ings up front with Sam Vokes back to full fitness. Vokes made a brief appearance from the bench on Boxing Day playing the last ten minutes after replacing Ashley Barnes. Barnes though has been in stunning form of late presenting Dyche with a bit of a dilemma.
Player to watch: Ben Mee
The former Manchester City left back will have a lot to prove against his former club but he has been by far the weakest link in the Burnley team of late. Mee has been given the run around in the last two games and he can expect no mercy against City either. Dyche does not have many options at left back with Ward still out injured and you would have to prefer Mee over Lafferty. It is clear therefore that Mee`s performance on Sunday will be crucial to our slim chances of any sort of success.
Team & Tactics:
There is a strong chance, Sean Dyche could be tempted to make a few changes for this tricky game and you do wonder if he might change formation to a more defensive 4-5-1. The other difficulty could be the centre of defence. Under the terms of the loan deal, Michael Keane may already have returned to Manchester United unless an extension is imminent. Michael Duff has also been sidelined for the last six games with a calf injury so if still unavailable that could mean a return for Kevin Long.
Dyche might also be tempted to start Sam Vokes which would be a little harsh on Ashley Barnes who has impressed of late. If we play 4-5-1 though, if could just be Danny Ings alone up front. Something tells me though that Dyche will stick with 4-4-2 and hope somehow it pays dividends. I will go with this line-up :
Heaton, Trippier, Long (or Keane if available), Shackell, Mee, Arfield, Marney, Jones, Boyd, Ings, Vokes
Subs: Gilks, Lafferty, Reid, Wallace, Kightly, Jutkiewicz, Barnes
Ref Watch:
Kevin Friend will be in charge of this match. His last game involving the Clarets was our home clash against West Ham. That 3-1 defeat back in October is hardly a good omen! The Leicestershire referee though only handed out one yellow card that day and tends to be on the relatively lenient side. In his 16 games so far this season, only two players have been sent off whilst another 64 have picked up yellow cards.
Match Prediction:
I met up with Bolton Claret at the Spurs game recently and he challenged me to recall the last time I predicted a Clarets defeat. I could not recall and suspect without checking back it was probably Arsenal at the Emirates. Well with the best will in the world, barring a miracle I can see nothing but a defeat against Manchester City in the Etihad on Sunday. The hosts are in rampant form and have been ruthless against teams fighting to avoid the drop. 3-0 to Manchester City! Squeaky bum time here I come!
Next Match:
Will we pick up any points this festive season? Well unless by some miracle we get something from the City game, our last chance will be against Newcastle United at St James Park on New Year`s Day (Kick-Off: 3pm)
