Burnley will be automatically promoted to the Premier League on Saturday if they beat Middlesbrough at Turf Moor and Derby drop points at home to Huddersfield.
The Pre-amble:
The streets of Burnley could be high with celebration if we beat Middlesbrough at Turf Moor this Saturday and Derby County fail to win against Huddersfield at Pride Park. That scenario would mean just one thing; the Clarets would be automatically promoted and back in the Premier League next season with four games of this season still to play. Burnley are still in second spot having notched up 83 points and already lead Derby in third by 11 points. A quick check on the calculator confirms that if Derby only manage a draw on Saturday and Burnley win then we become uncatchable. We will lead the Rams by thirteen points with only four games and twelve points remaining. It would even mean we might stand a chance of catching Leicester and eventually go up as Champions. The Foxes don`t play at the weekend but travel to play-offs chasing Reading on the Monday. They are currently six points ahead of the Clarets in top spot but that gap could be reduced to three points by the time we play the Easter games.
It is difficult not to mention the P word although the manager and players seem better at it than the fans. All season their mantra has been to just focus on the next game and boy has that paid off. Will it do so again against Middlesbrough this Saturday? Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka will certainly be up for trying to spoil the party. His Middlesbrough side are currently 13th with 55 points, 8 points behind sixth placed club, Reading. They still have an outside chance of reaching the play-offs but realistically another season in the Championship looks more likely. Boro are currently undefeated in four games and have won their last three games so they will be hoping to keep their mini-run going and finish as high up in the table as follows.
Can we dare to dream and will we be celebrating like mad come Saturday evening? We might have to wait until later this month but surely now barring a disaster we are as good as up and it`s only a matter of time until that is confirmed. What a remarkable, fantastic season!
(Fans are reminded that this match will kick-off seven minutes later at 3:07 in remembrance of the Hillsborough tragedy which took place 25 years ago on 15th April 1989)
Burnley Team News:
Sam Vokes, out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury underwent surgery on Thursday and reports suggest it was successful. Junior Stanislas could be back in contention after recovering from a tight hamstring. There is no news of any further injuries so apart from Vokes it looks like Dyche has a full squad to choose from.
Player to watch: Danny Ings
Championship Player of the Year and England Under 21 International, Danny Ings back from injury will be hoping to get back on the score sheet as soon as possible and add to his 25 goals so far for the season in all competitions. He has five games left this season to try and score at least another five goals and become the first Burnley player to notch up 30 goals since Willie Irvine back in the 60s.
Middlesbrough Team News:
Aitor Karanka has quite a few injury and suspension headaches ahead of this game especially in the back four. The Teesiders were reduced to nine men for the last five minutes of their midweek game at home to Birmingham on Tuesday night after centre-backs Kenneth Omeruo and Ben Gibson were both sent off for second bookable offences. Both are now suspended for the Burnley clash. Chelsea loanee Nathaniel Chalobah normally a midfielder could be drafted into the back four instead. Winger, Mustapha Carayol is out for the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury and defender, George Friend has joined him on the treatment table. The left-back limped off early in Tuesday`s 3-1 win over Birmingham and scans have now confirmed damage to a groin muscle which could mean his season is over. The inexperienced and untried youngsters Mark Kitching and David Atkinson may well be asked to step up to the plate in a makeshift back line.
Player to watch: Albert Adomah
For a right winger, the 26 year old Ghana international can certainly put the goals away! He is Boro`s leading goal scorer this season with 12 goals to his name so far. Adomah completed his move to Middlesbrough from Bristol City in August 2013 for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £1,000,000.
Team & Tactics:
Both Danny Ings and Kieran Trippier returned to the eighteen for Tuesday`s game at Barnsley. Ings helped his side to a 1-0 win after being named in the starting eleven but Trippier was an unused substitute. The big question for Dyche must be whether to give Trippier a start on Saturday although that would be hard on Chris Baird who has played well and done an admirable job as Trippier`s replacement at right back. Junior Stanislas could also be pushing for a start on the wing after recovering from his injury. My feeling is Dyche will show faith in the team that beat Barnsley on Tuesday night which was only the club`s second victory at Oakwell since 1932! An unchanged eighteen would mean we would line-up as follows :
Heaton, Baird, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Kightly, Marney, Jones, Arfield, Barnes, Ings Subs: Cisak, Long, Trippier, Stock, Edgar, Treacy, Wallace
There may be some tinkering on the bench and both Lafferty and Stanislas will be hoping to be in contention but if Trippier does start you would expect Baird to be on the bench at least in view of his experience and versatility.
Ref Watch:
Dean Whitestone is in charge of this one. The Northamptonshire referee has featured in 30 games so far this season and handed out four red cards and seventy-nine yellow cards. His last match involving the Clarets was a year ago in April 2013 when we lost 1-0 away to Blackpool. Three yellow cards were shown that day.
Match Prediction:
This could be a bit of a nervous scrap but if Burnley hold their nerve we should be able to win this one especially considering Boro`s injuries and suspension problems! 2-1 Clarets and heaven so close or maybe even achieved!
Next Match:
Easter is upon us and Burnley could be in Eggstacy if we are promoted by the end of it or even before it! There is a juicy game on Good Friday 18th April against struggling local rivals Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. This will be televised live by Sky Sports and fans are reminded the match kicks-off late at 5:15pm. Burnley are back in action on Easter Monday 21st April with a home game against play-offs hopefuls, Wigan Athletic (Kick-Off: 3pm)
