The Clarets travel to Loftus Road on Saturday hoping to keep their unbeaten run going and notch up a win in this vital six pointer between two clubs in the bottom three.
The Pre-amble:
It`s a massive game for Burnley on Saturday when they play QPR at Loftus Road. The results of these games will be a deciding factor on our survival chances. They do not come any tougher than this one either with third from bottom Burnley lining up against second from bottom QPR and the two clubs separated by just one point in the Clarets favour. The Clarets draw against Newcastle on Tuesday night temporarily saw them move out of the relegation zone fourth from bottom but a 1-1 draw for Hull against Everton at Goodison the following night meant the Tigers leapfrogged Burnley on goal difference pushing them back to third from bottom. Burnley though with twelve points from fourteen games are on a roll and have now been unbeaten in four matches following their two wins and two draws so let`s hope the run continues on Saturday
The Clarets will certainly have more momentum than QPR who have blown hot and cold in recent games. True in their last two home games Harry Redknapp`s men have managed to hold Manchester City 2-2 at home and also recently defeated bottom club, Leicester 3-2 at Loftus Road but that has been their only win in the last five matches. In terms of their home form, the best way to describe it is indifferent. In their seven games at Loftus Road they have won 3, lost 2 and drawn 2 so Burnley have every chance of getting something from this match. The scene is set for a pot-boiler of a bum squeaky match for both sets of fans and with former striker Charlie Austin playing against us we will need to keep him at bay and hope Danny Ings can continue his goal-scoring form. Bring it on!
Queens Park Rangers Team News:
Redknapp does not appear to have any fresh injury concerns following their 2-0 defeat at Swansea on Tuesday night.
25-year-old midfielder Sandro was injured in the Rs recent 1-0 defeat at Newcastle and he will be out until at least the New Year with a medial ligament knee injury.
Meanwhile the controversy surrounding midfielder Adel Taarabt continues.
“He is three stone overweight and unfit to play for Queens Park Rangers, according to manager Harry Redknapp last month. The Rs gaffer then later said the Moroccan is the ‘worst professional I have ever come across’. Ouch!
Queens Park Rangers chairman Tony Fernandes then ordered Taarabt and Redknapp to end their ongoing public row and now things appear to have gone quiet. He has not started a game for QPR since 27 August though so don`t expect to see him line up against the Clarets.
Player to watch: Charlie Austin
Who else but Charlie Austin? We are certainly going to have to keep our former striker quiet. He is their top goal scorer by far this season and has already notched up seven goals.
Burnley Team News:
Michael Duff has been sidelined now for two games after picking up a calf injury in the away win at Stoke. Michael Keane has deputised and could make his third start this Saturday if Duff is still not in contention. Sean Dyche has another headache in defence with Stephen Ward stretchered off on Tuesday night in the home game against Newcastle. Should he too remain injured then Ben Mee looks likely to start which could mean a place on the bench for left back, Daniel Lafferty.
It is still too early for Sam Vokes (cruciate ligament) but he is now playing in football games again and has found his goal scoring touch in a couple of development squad matches recently. He actually got a brace in the last game against Sheffield United to add to the one he scored previously. It will be interesting to see if he makes the eighteen for the game against Southampton at Turf Moor a week on Saturday.
Matty Taylor is also on the treatment bench recovering from surgery following a niggling Achilles problem and the former West Ham winger has not featured since the end of August.
Player to watch: Danny Ings
It is time for Danny Ings to prove once again that we never really missed Charlie Austin! He might not have been as prolific as last season so far but he has recently found his goal-scoring touch again Ings is currently our leading goal scorer with four goals so far this season and he also recently notched up a brace playing for the England U21 team in their friendly against Portugal at Turf Moor
Team & Tactics:
News is awaited on the fitness of Michael Duff and Stephen Ward but if they don`t make it in time then we can expect a line-up something like this:
Heaton, Trippier, Keane, Shackell, Mee, Arfield, Marney, Jones, Boyd, Ings, Barnes
Subs from: Gilks, Long, Lafferty, Reid, Wallace, Kightly, Sordell, Jutkiewicz.
I do not see need the need to change the 4-4-2 formation or basic tactics. They have served us well during the four game unbeaten run so far and apart from Austin relative to the top Premier League teams the hosts do not represent much of an attacking threat. I would expect both Duff and Ward to start though at the expense of Keane and Mee should they recover in time.
Ref Watch:
Jonathan Moss is in charge of this one. The West Yorkshire referee has only featured 10 times so far this season but has already sent four players off and handed out 38 yellow cards (average nearly four/game). His last game involving the Clarets looks to be a bad omen too since it was the awful 4-0 drubbing we received from WBA at the Hawthorns back in September this year.
Match Prediction:
I would be happy with a point to be honest and will plump for a 1-1 draw. This is probably going to be a much tenser affair than last season when the two teams shared six goals. Something inside me also says we might shade it but I will stick with the draw.
Next Match:
It`s a tricky game at home next. We play high-flying third-place Southampton on Saturday 13th December (Kick-Off: 3pm)
