On Sky
The Clarets entertain high-flying second-placed Manchester City today at Turf Moor in a Sky Sports Live televised game which kicks-off late at 5:30pm
The Pre-amble:
Will this horrible sequence of eight games against clubs in the top ten ever come to an end and will we pick up any more points before it does? Just one point incredibly against league leaders, Chelsea is all we have to show from the first four games of the eight mentioned and next up we face last season`s top flight Champions, Manchester City at Turf Moor. Burnley are in a pickle make no mistake about that. They are firmly stuck in the relegation zone second from bottom with no win now in seven league games. You have to go back to January for our last victory at home to QPR.
The Clarets may have given Manchester City a shock on their home soil over the festive period last year coming away with a point in a remarkable 2-2 draw but Manuel Pellegrino`s men are still pushing to retain the title and are currently just five points behind league leaders, Chelsea with ten games remaining. This is one real tough game and it is difficult to see how we can pick up any points in this clash and repeat or better our performance in the Etihad. Never say never though!!
Burnley Team News:
Both Kevin Long and Dean Marney are out for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament injuries but Matty Taylor (Achilles surgery) is back on the scene and is building up his match fitness via development games. The midfielder though is not ready to return to the first team just yet despite featuring twice for the club’s development squad. Meanwhile new signing Fredrik Ulvestad is viewed as a long-term signing and will not be involved. The 24 year old Norway international midfielder was a free agent after being released by Aalesund and following a trial at Burnley he was signed this week after agreeing a three-year contract.
Player to watch: Ben Mee
Mee will be keen to impress against his former club as will Kieran Trippier on the opposite flank. Both full backs could be crucial in keeping City at bay. Mee is generally regarded as the weaker of the two so it is important he puts in a good shift today.
Manchester City Team News:
Manager Manuel Pellegrini has a fully-fit squad to choose from and could recall both Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta, who were unused substitutes against Leicester. Samir Nasri and Fernandinho were left out of the squad for that game. The Brazilian though has been stating he was feeling unwell as well as nursing a calf problem so it will be interesting to see if he is in contention at Turf Moor.
Player to watch: Sergio Aguero
Only 23 goals so far this season! Need we say more?
Team & Tactics:
Sean Dyche looks set to keep faith in the same team for the fourth consecutive match which if so will mean the following line-up:
Heaton, Trippier, Shackell, Keane, Mee, Kightly, Arfield, Jones, Boyd, Ings, Barnes
Subs: Gilks, Reid, Duff, Ward, Wallace, Jutkiewicz, Vokes
Ref Watch:
Andre Marriner gets this one! This will be his third match involving the Clarets this season all of them at Turf Moor. He was the referee previously for our home games against Everton and QPR. The West Midlands referee has only sent one player off in his 26 games so far this season whilst another 89 have seen yellow including six in our Everton game and four against QPR!
Match Prediction:
We may have got a totally unexpected but well-earned point in the Etihad but can you really see lightening striking twice? I can`t 3-1 to City
Next Match:
Life gets a bit easier on Saturday 21st March. We only travel down to the South Coast to play 7th placed Southampton in the St Mary`s Stadium (Kick-Off 3pm). Yes that was a tongue-in-cheek remark!!
