Former Burnley management team, Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall return to Turf Moor on Saturday with their newly promoted Bournemouth team to set up an interesting clash. The Clarets will be hoping for another three points in order to ensure they remain top of the Championship.
The Pre-amble:
The Clarets will be hoping for another victory this Saturday when they play Eddie Howe`s AFC Bournemouth at Turf Moor. Three points would guarantee that Burnley remain top of the Championship table. They currently have 33 points from 14 games and remain unbeaten in the league since their only loss so far away to Brighton back in August; a run of ten games without defeat. Both second placed Leicester and third placed QPR though gained ground on the Clarets last Saturday after winning both their games. Burnley could only manage a draw against Millwall in the New Den last Saturday but in the end it was a well-earned point after coming back from two goals down but it still meant Leicester were now only two points behind the Clarets and QPR four. Both our promotion rivals though face tough games this Saturday. QPR travel to fifth-placed Reading whilst Leicester have a challenging home game against sixth-placed Nottingham Forest. The Clarets could further increase their lead at the top against an inconsistent Bournemouth team if results go our way. The Cherries are currently in 15th spot with 17 points just six points off the drop zone. It is still a creditable performance for the newly promoted club and games are certainly entertaining when the Cherries are involved. They seem capable of either scoring a panful or getting tonked. Although they have not won in three games they did beat Millwall 5-2 at home and have notched up quite a few victories scoring 3-4 goals. On the converse side though they have also suffered a 6-1 hammering away to Watford and a 5-1 defeat away to Huddersfield! In many ways, their performance reflects Eddie Howe`s style of management and results were not too dissimilar during his time as Burnley gaffer. It looks like we can expect a high-scoring game on Saturday so let`s hope it goes in our favour.
Burnley Team News:
Winger, Ross Wallace is still recovering from surgery to fix a knee ‘wear and tear` injury and is not expected to return until around Christmas. Another of our wingers, Keith Treacy is also back in contention again after sitting out an automatic one match suspension following his sending-off against the Hammers. Midfielder, Dean Marney picked up a thigh injury in the West Ham Capital One Cup game at Turf Moor and missed the match away to Millwall last Saturday. He could be fit in time for the Cherries clash though and news is awaited. Sean Dyche said:
“We`re just waiting on Deano. We have to be careful, but fingers crossed he`ll come through training and come back into consideration.”
Player to watch: Danny Ings
It has certainly been a good few weeks for Danny Ings and Bournemouth fans will not relish their former striker up against them when he is in suck sparkling form. Ings, along with his strike partner and another former Bournemouth player, Sam Vokes has scored nine league goals so far this season with both joint second in the Championship Top Scorers table. His total for the season so far comes to 13 when you also add in the four he scored in the Capital One Cup competition. His efforts were rewarded this week when it was announced he had won the Sky Bet Player of the Month award for October. Danny Ings was also named in the England Under 21 squad again this week after making his debut in October so sealing a perfect last couple of months. Let`s hope it all continues on Saturday!
AFC Bournemouth Team News:
Elliott Ward returns from a one match suspension following his sending off at Leicester.
This could be a game too soon though for winger, Matt Ritchie who has suffered from a thigh problem complication. He has not played all season with reports suggesting he could return after the international break against Derby.
Attacking midfielder/winger, Mohamed Coulibaly and former on loan Clarets winger, Josh McQuiod (knee) are also thought to be close to full fitness but again might not be in contention for Saturday`s game.
Player to watch: Marc Pugh
Marc Pugh is returning to Turf Moor for the first time since leaving the club. Pugh started his career with Burnley, where he progressed through the youth system. Although as a striker he looked set to break into the first team, it never happened for him and he left without making his debut in 2006. Spells at Bury, Shrewsbury and Hereford United followed before he signed for Bournemouth in June 2010. Pugh was linked with a return to Turf Moor during the Eddie Howe days but it never happened. He is now a firm Cherries fans favourite and over the years has developed into an effective winger and midfielder. He can still score goals though and has netted 30 in 137 appearances for Bournemouth. So far this season he is their second joint highest goal scorer with four goals. Pugh will certainly want to prove a point on Saturday and it`s up to the Clarets to stop him.
Team & Tactics:
The only question mark appears to be whether Dean Marney will be fit enough to play following his thigh problem. If he doesn`t make it expect David Edgar to stand in for him again. Either way it is likely to be a very familiar line-up on Saturday and I suspect it will look something like this:
Heaton, Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee, Kightly, Marney (or Edgar), Jones, Arfield, Ings, Vokes
Subs: Cisak, Lafferty, Long, Stock, Edgar (or Hewitt), Stanislas, Treacy
Ref Watch:
Hertfordshire referee, Mick Russell is in charge of this match. His last game involving the Clarets was in our last match of last season at home to Ipswich which we won 2-0. Just one yellow card was flashed that day. In his nine games so far this season, 2 players have been sent off and 26 players have picked up yellow cards.
Match Prediction:
Unless the Clarets have an off-day they should be too strong for an inconsistent Bournemouth side. One thing almost guaranteed are goals looking at some of the Cherries score lines this season but hopefully we can exploit their weakness in defence. I will save them another tonking and go for a respectable 3-1 Clarets victory.
Next Match:
Another international break is upon us now and the Clarets will not be back in action until Saturday 23rd November when they face a tough trip to the City Ground up against play-offs chasing Nottingham Forest.
