Burnley play Peterborough at Turf Moor this Saturday hoping to continue their promotion challenge with the club three points off the play-offs positions following the 2-0 midweek victory over Forest at the City Ground.
The Pre-amble:
Games are coming thick and fast at the moment with Burnley now facing Peterborough United at Turf Moor on Saturday. They will be hoping to maintain the momentum and continue their push for a play-offs place after defeating Forest 2-0 at the City ground on Tuesday night and moving up to 9th spot just three points now behind 6th placed club, Hull City. The Clarets have now clocked up eight wins in their last eleven Championship games.
Peterborough have been in indifferent form this season and have now hit a bad patch with no win now in five games. Darren Ferguson`s men have also been unable to keep a clean sheet in those games. They are currently mid-table in 17th spot on 33 points; 10 points behind the Clarets and nine off the drop zone. Their away form this season is also pretty average although they have won three and drawn four of their fourteen outings, losing seven on the road.
Burnley Team News:
Both Martin Paterson and Junior Stanislas are still sidelined with hamstring injuries.
Keith Treacy went off injured in the Forest game in midweek and news is awaited on his fitness.
There is just one new player on the books following the signing of left back Daniel Lafferty from Derry City on Monday. He has been given international clearance and will wear shirt number three but looks unlikely to dislodge Ben Mee with the back four looking solid and confident at the moment. He may well be hoping to be on the bench though and that could be bad news for Brian Easton.
Player to watch: Jay Rodriguez
Rodriguez is still ‘one of our own` with the January transfer window now closed and he sounds raring to go for the Clarets at least until the summer when the Premier League sharks will no doubt start to circle again. He continued to impress on Tuesday night bagging a brace against Forest at the City Ground and bringing his tally for the season to 16 goals.
Peterborough United Team News:
Although ever-present defender and England Under 21 international Ryan Bennett was signed by Norwich City on transfer deadline day, he will still be available to play for Posh against the Clarets after being immediately loaned back to the London Road club. On loan defender, Scott Wootten though has returned to his parent club, Manchester United.
Apart from David Hibbert who is suffering from a long-term injury, Darren Ferguson would otherwise appear to have a full squad to choose from. Hibbert has been sidelined now for well over a year with a serious knee injury. The striker dislocated his knee cap back in November 2010.
Player to watch: George Boyd
Boyd has been linked with a move to Turf Moor in the past but nothing ever came of the rumours. He remains very much a Posh player having signed for them from Stevenage in January 2007 for £260,000 and since that time bagged on average a goal every four games which is not bad for a winger. The 26 year old is the club`s current third highest goal-scorer behind McCann and Sinclair with six goals so far this season in all competitions.
Team & Tactics:
It looks likely to be a similar team to the one that defeated Forest in midweek although news is still awaited regarding the injury to Treacy. If Treacy is fit to play, I would still expect Wallace to regain his starting eleven place.
Very much more of the same then for the Clarets! It will be interesting to see if new signing, Daniel Lafferty makes his first appearance. If he does make the sixteen, I expect with left back, Ben Mee in such good form that he will be named on the bench. Easton could be the one to lose out to our new Number 3!
The most probable line up is as follows:
Grant, Trippier, Duff, Edgar, Mee, Wallace, Marney, McCann, McQuoid, Rodriguez, Austin.
Subs: Jensen, Easton or Lafferty, Bartley, Treacy, Hines
Ref Watch:
Colin Webster was due to ref the Forest game until a last minute change but instead the Tyne & Wear referee, will now take charge of the Posh match. He last featured in a match involving the Clarets last season in our final game of 2010-11 at home to Cardiff. The game finished 1-1 and three yellow cards were shown that day. In 24 matches so far this season, Webster has handed out a modest 5 red and 60 yellow cards!
Match Prediction:
No messing about, please! A comprehensive 3-0 victory and a top six slot!
Next Match:
The Clarets face a tough game away to second-from-top club Southampton at St Marys on Saturday 11th February.
