The Clarets face a tricky away game in the Amex Stadium against Brighton this Saturday and a win would be nice if they want to realistically keep their play-offs hopes alive.
The Pre-amble:
Burnley`s form of late has slumped and we have not won a game now in four matches picking up only two points from a maximum of twelve. The play-offs dream is beginning to slip away and we are still seven points adrift of the sixth placed club, Middlesbrough following a disappointing 0-0 draw against them at Turf Moor on Tuesday night. We do though have a game in hand over them but realistically we need to start stringing some wins together if we are to maintain the play-offs push. The trouble is matches are not getting any easier and we will soon be entering a hectic schedule of midweek and weekend games with just thirteen league matches remaining. Burnley are currently in 11th spot and on Saturday travel down to Sussex to play seventh-placed club, Brighton who have played the same number of games as the Clarets but have five points more with a total of 49 points. Closing the gap to two points will be the aim against Gus Poyet`s men this Saturday but Brighton are in good form and enjoyed a 2-0 win away to league leaders, Cardiff City on Tuesday night so their confidence will be sky high. They have also lost only one of their last eight Championship fixtures so they will clearly be favourites to win this one so let`s upset the applecart!
Brighton & Hove Albion Team News:
Brighton will be without midfielder, Liam Bridcutt. He starts a two-match ban after picking up his 10th booking of the season against Cardiff on Tuesday night. Striker Ashley Barnes is back in contention however after completing a three-match ban.
Another forward, Will Hoskins is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury but midfielder Dean Hammond could be back in contention if he shakes off a knee injury picked up during the Seagulls` win at Cardiff in midweek. Brighton skipper, Gordon Greer and top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith have also returned to training following injury absences but it could be too early for them to feature this Saturday.
Player to watch: Jose Leonardo Ulloa
With leading goal-scorer, Craig Mackail-Smith (who scored a brace in the Seagulls` 3-1 victory at Turf Moor last September)only just returning to training after injury, all eyes are now on new signing, Jose Leonardo Ulloa. The 26-year-old, Argentine striker only joined Brighton from Spanish club Almeria in January but he is already causing a stir. He was the top scorer in Spain`s second division last season and is already finding the back of the net for the Seagulls. Ulloa scored on his debut in the FA Cup fourth round against Arsenal but could not help his side avoid defeat with the Gunners emerging 3-2 winners. He then notched up his first Championship goal away to Cardiff in midweek scoring the Seagulls second to seal victory against the league leaders in the 90th minute.
Burnley Team News:
Central defenders, Michael Duff and Ben Mee look set to remain sidelined with Ross Wallace joining them on the injury list after missing the midweek game against Boro at home with a knee problem. Danny Ings was also absent on Tuesday night with a hamstring injury but there is better news regarding the striker. The Official site is saying that he looks set to return.
Player to watch: Junior Stanislas
He looked much more effective playing down the right flank on Tuesday night against Boro so with Wallace still out injured let`s keep him in that position and see if he can make those crosses count!
Team & Tactics:
With Duff and Mee still sidelined, it will be interesting to see if Kevin Long retains his place in the centre of defence at the expense of David Edgar. Long made only his second senior start on Tuesday night and Edgar was forced to be happy with a place on the bench. Long played quite well so could be given an extended run in the team. With Ings back in contention, I suspect he will be preferred to Paterson who could be dropped back to the bench. Wallace misses out again with injury by the looks of it and Stanislas looked a lot sharper and more effective down the right flank on Tuesday night. I think there might be a case for keeping Stanislas out right and bringing in Treacy on the left. We have to win this one so let`s go for 4-4-2, sadly that probably means Stock is back on the bench unless Dyche wants to play cautiously with a holding midfielder in 4-1-4-1. This would be my line-up:
Grant, Trippier, Long, Shackell, Lafferty, Stanislas, Marney, McCann, Treacy, Ings, Austin
Subs: Jensen, O`Neill (or Mills), Edgar, Stock, Bartley (or Richards), Paterson, Vokes
Ref Watch:
Oxfordshire referee, Graham Scott gets this clash! So far this season in 29 appearances, Scott has sent off five players and shown yellow to another 81! His last game involving the Clarets was a pretty busy day for card showing too! Back in October 2011, Burnley played Coventry City in the Ricoh and five of our players picked up a yellow card that day to Coventry`s three! The Sky Blues also suffered a 2-1 defeat and had Bigirimana sent off in the 80th minute! Could be a good omen then!!
Match Prediction:
Three points really are vital but this will not be an easy game and our recent form and results are now a cause for concern. It would just be like the Clarets to go out and win this one convincingly and get some revenge for the 3-1 defeat at Turf Moor earlier in the season. I am not that optimistic though and think the best we can hope for is a draw, so I will plump for 2-2. Brighton are draw specialists as well! In the Championship’s this season they have won fewer home matches than any other top-half club with just six victories. Incredibly they have drawn 13 of their 32 league games in total home and away. Their home form looked at another way though is somewhat impressive and worrying since they have been beaten only three times at home this season and only once since mid-October.
Next Match:
Our next match will be the re-arranged game against Huddersfield at Turf Moor on the night of Tuesday 26th February (Kick-Off 7:45pm) and then on the following Saturday 2nd March we will be travelling to London to play Charlton Athletic (Kick-Off 3pm)
