The Clarets have a very difficult match indeed on Wednesday night when 4th from bottom Burnley play 4th from top Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Pre-amble:
The Clarets now embark on a pretty grim schedule over the next eight games. It is a sequence of matches that sees them play teams who are all in the top ten with only Swansea (currently ninth) outside the top seven! The bum squeaking period begins with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night and it couldn`t come at a worse time with the Clarets precariously placed fourth from bottom only one point clear of the drop zone with 21 points from 24 games. The Clarets had an ideal opportunity in their last four matches all against relegation-threatened rivals to pull clear of danger but it did not work out despite an impressive start beating QPR 2-1 at home. It was their only victory and in the next three games Burnley only managed to pick up one more point at home to West Brom on Sunday following defeats at home to Crystal Palace and away to Sunderland. In two of those games both at home (Palace and West Brom) we also surrendered two goal leads and there is now also a worrying trend of poor defensive work from set pieces especially corners. We simply have to tighten up and hope and pray that somehow we can get a few surprise results against the best teams in the Premier League over the next two months or so, otherwise it could quite simply be game over and back to the Championship.
United are much improved since the reverse fixture at Turf Moor at the end of August. Louis van Gaal`s time were being heavily criticised in the media for continual poor performances and they were struggling in the middle of the table which by their standards could only be classed as failure. That criticism continued after the Turf Moor game when Burnley dug in to secure a point in a 0-0 draw. Since that time though performances and results have improved significantly and United are now in fourth spot with 44 points from 24 games. In December they were unbeaten in six games winning four and drawing two and they followed that up in 2015 with four wins and three draws so far in all competitions losing only one match after being defeated 1-0 at home by currently third placed Southampton. Burnley will just have to take hope from the fact that they managed to draw against United at home earlier in the season and that last time they were in Manchester secured an impressive 2-2 draw against high-flying Manchester City over the festive period.
Manchester United Team News:
Luke Shaw was sent off for a second bookable offence in United`s last game away to West Ham on Sunday and the defender will now be suspended for the Burnley game. United though have plenty of options. Ashley Young could return to the starting lineup in place of Shaw but van Gaal could also move Marcos Rojo to the left and play either Chris Smalling or Jonny Evans alongside Phil Jones in central defence. Midfielder Michael Carrick is still ruled out due to a muscle rupture injury.
Whatever the line-up and with such a depth in squad they clearly have options. It is thought though they will certainly adopt the diamond midfield 4-4-2 formation again.
Player to watch: Robin van Persie
31 year old Dutch international striker Robin van Persie by his standards appears to have struggled to impress this season. Nevertheless he is still currently United`s leading goal scorer with nine goals so far in all competitions. His goal scoring prowess is normally prolific and in total for United he has managed to score at a rate of nearly one in every two games so nine in 28 games could be classed as disappointing! Let`s make it 9 in 29!!
Burnley Team News:
Kevin Long remains our only long-term injured player and is on the long road to recovery from a cruciate ligament injury sustained in the Newcastle game on New Year`s Day at St James Park. Matty Taylor (Achilles surgery) looks a step closer to being fit but once again is likely to remain sidelined. Stephen Ward is also still recovering from an ankle injury.
Our biggest concern now is the fitness of Dean Marney. He was injured in the West Brom game on Sunday being replaced by Michael Kightly for the start of the second-half. Marney limped off at half-time with a knee injury and his fitness could now be imperative with such a lack of cover in centre midfield following the failure to sign anybody on transfer deadline day and the return of loan midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah to Chelsea.
Sean Dyche talking about the injury and the timing just six days after the window closed in failure for the Clarets said:
“It is what it is; it`s just the nature of working in the market that we do.
“It`s his knee. We`ll wait and see, it`s too early to assess.”
Player to watch: Michael Keane
Keane of course is a former Manchester United defender and following a loan spell this season signed a permanent deal with the Clarets in the transfer window. He will be Keane to impress his former employers and what better chance to do that than in a match at Old Trafford? The central defender has impressed since coming into the starting eleven due to an injury to Michael Duff. Duff is now fit again but Keane has established himself in the team showing great confidence and maturity for a man so young and he is now the regular choice keeping the far more experienced Duff sidelined on the bench.
Team & Tactics:
Sean Dyche may have to change his starting eleven for the first time in 11 games if Dean Marney is not fit to play. If that is the case the only possibility seems to be to move Scott Arfield into the centre of midfield with Michael Kightly coming in on the wing. We could sadly now see the downside of not being able to bring anybody in on transfer deadline day with centre midfield cover being a particular problem If Marney is fit we can expect the same eighteen to be named as that for the West Brom game on Sunday but if not the line-up will look something like this:
Heaton, Trippier, Shackell , Keane, Mee, Kightly, Arfield, Jones, Boyd, Ings, Barnes
Subs from: Gilks, Reid, Duff, Lafferty, Wallace, Jutkiewicz, Sordell, Vokes
Ref Watch:
At the time of writing this article, the Premier League had not advised who would be in charge of this match.
Match Prediction:
Nobody will be giving Burnley a chance that`s for sure but then they didn`t against the other team in Manchester and looked what happened! Not this time I am afraid although it would be typical if Burnley picked up points against top class opposition when they struggled against the bottom teams. United to win 3-1 but hoping I am wrong, very wrong because our plight is now looking worrying, very worrying indeed.
Next Match:
Burnley will now enjoy a bit of a break with FA Cup fifth round weekend coming up. Their next game though is another very tricky one. It`s only league leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 21st February (Kick-Off: 3pm)
