Burnley

West Ham United V Burnley

Date & Kick-Off: Monday, 21st February – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park
Competition: FA Cup; Fifth Round
TV Coverage: ESPN

The fact these two clubs have rarely come face-to-face with one another in recent years only adds to the intrigue surrounding what should be a thoroughly entertaining contest between a West Ham side who have excelled in cup competitions this season and Eddie Howe’s in-form Burnley.

West Ham are the favourites, the Hammers boasting home advantage at Upton Park where, incidentally, their FA Cup campaign thus far has centred around – beating Barnsley 2-0 in Third Round and Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the Fourth Round – and where Burnley have failed to win on their previous five visits.

As far as momentum heading into this Fifth Round tie goes, it’s difficult to weigh up who has the edge. Burnley are without defeat in their last three matches but were held to a 1-1 draw away at Cardiff City last time out, a result which put an end to their two-match winning streak, while West Ham have failed to win any of their last two games but produced one of the comebacks of the season in their most recent encounter, coming from 3-0 down away at West Brom to draw 3-3.

So who tickles your fancy? The Hammers have been a force to be reckoned with outside of the Premier League this season but made hard work of beating Championship opposition in the previous round, whereas Burnley haven’t beat Premiership opposition in the FA Cup since 2005, when famously dumping Liverpool out in the Third Round.

A Burnley victory wouldn’t be a giant-killing, nor would it send shock waves around the country, but it would turn a few heads and a whole host of firms, including one of my personal favourites PaddyPower, go a generous 3/1 (4.00) on the Clarets upsetting the odds. Neither party would be overly eager to take this tie into a replay, though Burnley would definitely fancy their chances back at Turf Moor, with the Draw a best-priced 11/4 (3.75) with StanJames. Those who cannot see past the Premier League oufit can get EVENS (2.00) with BetFred and WilliamHill on West Ham winning their seventh successive cup match on home soil.

West Ham United

In a bid to turn their stumbling season around, Hammers boss Avram Grant organised a day of karting as a means to unite his dressing room but also reward the team for their valiant efforts a week previous when coming from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. Between then and now, however, nine days will have passed meaning Grant’s men should be fresher than their Fifth Round rivals, who were in action during the week, but also raring to go and eager to stretch their winning run at Upton Park in the cups to seven.

As stunning as their second-half display against the Baggies was a little over a week ago, in reality it was still a disappointing point against one of their main rivals for safety in a match which, had their defending even been at of an adequate standard, may have seen them clinch all three points. As it is, the club’s situation with regards to survival is still very much precarious, with the Hammers second-from-bottom in the league and now three points from safety.

In a season which has been stop-start, the misery of fighting a relegation battle has been countered by some impressive runs in the cups. In the Carling Cup, West Ham came agonisingly close to reaching the final only to be knocked out by Birmingham City in Extra-Time while the Hammers are still alive and kicking in the FA Cup, with their manager, Avram Grant, eager to maintain his fantastic record of having appeared in a major final with every English club he’s managed – Taking Chelsea to the Champions League final in Moscow and last season working miracles with a cash-strapped Portsmouth, the Israeli guiding a team which eventually finished rock-bottom in the Premier League that season all the way to the final only to lose 1-0 to Chelsea.

Leading West Ham to Wembley and the final of the FA Cup wouldn’t be a case of Grant working minor miracles but it would be some achievements nonetheless. This a team which has spent much of the league campaign rooted to the basement of the Barclay’s Premier League. And to make life just that little bit more stressful for the Hammers tactician, James Tomkins, Matthew Upson and Robbie Keane are all sidelined with various bumps and scrapes, while Victor Obinna, scorer of a hat-trick in the previous round against Not’m Forest, is also rated as doubtful.

Burnley

Last season Burnley were plying their trade in the top-flight of English football, and in the early stages were holding their own against the country’s very best – beating Manchester United 1-0 at Turf Moor one of their more memorable moments. Unfortunately, their early success was short-lived, the Clarets eventually relegated with the worst defensive record the Premiership has ever seen and there were growing concerns that the club would struggle to recover and drift into the shadows. On Monday, Burnley are aiming to serve us up a kindly reminder that the Lancashire Clarets certainly haven’t disappeared.

Since their relegation from the Premier League, Burnley have ousted Brian Laws from the managerial hot-seat and brought in a younger model in the form of former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, the 33-year old aiming to bring Premiership football back to Turf Moor. He may succeed in his attempts sooner than many expected, with a draw enough to drag West Ham back to Turf Moor where Burnley beat the Hammers 2-1 when they clashed in the Premier League last term.

Fans, though, want to watch teams of a Premier League calibre on a more regular basis, and after a sluggish start to life back in the Championship, it would appear Burnley are ready to at least hand supporters the opportunity to get behind the team in a bid to make an instant return to the big-time. Just one defeat in their last seven in the league, one in nine in all competitions, has seen Burney make some real in-roads in the league and move within six-points of the play-off’s.

In the mean time, though, it’s making progress in the FA Cup which takes center stage and with so much confidence to be had from their recent form, and with the players responding positively to Eddie Howe’s appointment, I wouldn’t be too hasty in writing off their chances.

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Match Pointers

West Ham

- The Hammers have been victorious in 9 of 19 matches played at Upton Park this season (W9 D4 L6), that includes all competitions.
- Avram Grant’s men have won four of their previous six home games, while their record in cups at home is imperious having won all six (2 FA Cup & 4 League Cup).
- Have won only two of their last six games, home or away and in all competitions, and are without a victory in their last two.
- West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any of his last eight starts between the sticks, with his last on Jan 8 when beating Barnsley 2-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup, while the Hammers only have four to their name for the term.

Burnley

- The Clarets have had their fair share of problems churning out victories on the road, although have improved of late, the Championship side winning only 4 of 18 away matches so far this season.
- Burnley are in a rich vein of form having lost just one of their last nine matches in all competitions, winning four of their previous six.
- Haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six games, and just 2 in their last 21.

Head-to-Head

- West Ham have lost only two of the last eleven meetings, and are without defeat in their last five at home.
- These two have met twice in the FA Cup, during the 1963/64 and 1967/68 seasons, with West Ham winning both.
- West Ham won the most recent encounter between the two at Upton Park 5-3, during the 2009/2010 Premier League, with Carlton Cole and Chris Eagles, two players who should start for West Ham and Burnley respectively, both on the scoresheet that day.

Match Prediction: Draw -3.75 StanJames

Few have taken to cup competitions like West Ham have under Avram Grant, but this is also a Burnley side who enjoy life outside of domestic affairs, so it won’t be straightforward for the Premiership club. In fact, I suspect they’ll be given a rough ride at Upton Park by a Burnley team in buoyant mood and who actually played some very good football.

The visitors will carve out chances, as they always do, while they’re never afraid to commit men forward to attack, and against a West Ham defence which is without its regular centre-half partnership of Matthew Upson and James Tomkins, I strongly fancy Burnley to at least get on the scoresheet. I only hope West Ham’s better class of players cancels out to some degree the energy and enthusiasm of a Burnley side who will come to town with a fearless attitude, unphased by the venue, the opposing fans nor their opposition.

Value Bet: Both Teams to Score -1.83 SkyBet

Burnley V Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, 9th May – 16:00 (GMT)

Burnley

League Position: 19th
Recent Form: LWLLL

The Clarets may feel their Premiership season is over and done with, the novelty of the Premier League officially worn off, but Burnley still have a big part to play in some important Premiership business.  How Brian Law’s men fare at Turf Moor this coming Sunday has a huge baring on the race for fourth as he and his Burnley squad welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Turf Moor in what will be the club’s last Premiership fixture for at least a year.

The manager, players and the fans will be disappointed in the fact they couldn’t take their Premiership destiny right down to the final day of the season. Instead, the Clarets basically went out with a whimper, quite literally, as the game which finally proved to be the nail in the coffin was the 4-0 drubbing they received at the hands of Liverpool. That’s a scary result when you consider Liverpool are out of sorts, lacking in numbers and the drubbing came on home soil.

Home, at Turf Moor, used to be where the heart is for Burnley, the setting for their relegation fight. It appeared a fortress at one stage but that intimidating feel to Turf Moor soon evaporated, as well did Burnley’s chances of avoiding an inevitable drop. Brian Law was brought in as Owen Coyle’s replacement and he did little to spark any sort of life or dramatic comeback from the Clarets. In fact, Law has only won two games since he took over the Burnley helm midway through January, only one of those came at Turf Moor leaving Brian with a record at home of 1-1-5, while Burnley look all set to finish the campaign on a five match losing home low. Despite that we still expect fans to turn up in their droves on Sunday in a bid to say farewell to a league they may never embrace again.

It will be emotional down at Turf Moor on Sunday, as fans unite to saviour the lasting moments of an eventful Premiership campaign. There have been low points, more than their fair share in fact, but there have also been highlights, with their 1-0 victory against Manchester United the pinnacle of an otherwise flat season. However, it’s a result like that which puts it into perspective; for all Burnley’s mass amount of loses and vast amounts of goals conceded, they do have some magic in them and if they can unlock the early potential they shown against the Red Devils, maybe, just maybe, Burnley really could leave the Premiership exit doors with a bang.

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 4th
Recent Form: LWWLW

Tottenham fans will be in jubilant mood for the remainder of the season after their stunning result in Manchester on Wednesday night. In a game which was valued somewhere in the region of an estimated £30,000,000 to the victorious party, it was Harry Redknapp’s Spurs who were celebrating at the final whistle, as Peter Crouch’s header from four yards out was enough to seal a decisive victory at the City of Manchester Stadium sending Tottenham into Europe for the first time in over half a decade.

It’s a shame Tottenham’s final game of the season isn’t back at White Hart Lane, as it would be some atmosphere in North London, and not just because of Tottenham’s ground breaking feat of reaching Europe’s top tier competition, although that is largely why. The opportunity has now arisen for Spurs to overhaul Arsenal into third position, with the chance to finish above their arch rivals for the first time since the 1994/1995 season. While the latter will bring about some added spice in the Spurs celebrations, it will just be the cherry on a very sweet cake as all the toasts will undoubtedly be for their top four triumph, and rightly so, it’s some achievement for a club which struggled with relegation last season.

In arguably the most competitive Premiership season for quite some time, Tottenham did remarkably well just to remain in the hunt for fourth, but to go all the way and clinch the final Champions League berth is quite amazing. The rewards, well, it’s start with a lucrative cash package which, providing they bypass a potential tricky play-off tie first of, will prove very useful. However, it’s that ‘Champions League’ tag which will benefit he club more, as Harry Redknapp will find the capture of stars name a lot easier. The question now is, will Daviel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, dip into his pocket and allowed Redknapp to buy the quality he needs to strengthen an already powerful and talented squad in the summer. If they wish to compete against Europe’s elite, which they will as Spurs won’t be seeded too highly, then a signing or two, decent ones, will be required.

On Sunday though, the celebrations will begin despite Tottenham not taking a large travelling support to Turf Moor for a game Tottenham were eying up as a must win game only a few days ago but can now look at it with no real great concern, just a final run out to seal a terrific league campaign. Of course, it could have been so much better had they beaten Portsmouth in the FA Cup final last month, but the fourth place finish, a minimum they can finish now, more than made up for their loss. However, Harry won’t want to see his teams efforts tainted by a poor result at relegated Burnley on the very last day of the season. Redknapp will want to cap a fine season off in style so expect all the big guns out at Turf Moor as Spurs aim to show everyone why their efforts this season made them deserving victors of fourth spot.

Match Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN – 1.53 Bet365

There’s no way in hell Harry Redknapp will let his Tottenham players take a nap at Turf Moor on the final day of the season, not after all their hard work in Manchester just a few days ago. This is a fabulous opportunity to end a superb season with style, with an emphatic and resounding win over a Burnley side which is more than capable of shipping enough on the day to make it look as though this is a cricket match. Moreover, there will be no pressure whatsoever on the Spurs team, whereas the same can’t be said for the Clarets, as Brian Laws men look to leave the Premiership with something to cherish. We don’t see the latter happening at all, instead we fancy Tottenham’s chances of ending the season with back-to-back wins, a big won as well.

Match Odds

Burnley – 8.00 Coral
Draw – 4.50 Coral
Tottenham Hotspur – 1.53 Bet365

SoccerBetting Pick: Over 3.5 Goals – 2.62 Boylesports

Birmingham City V Burnley

Saturday, 1^st May – 12:45 (GMT)

TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1

Birmingham City

League Position: 9th

Recent Form: DDLDL

Motive: Maybe – Top Ten Finish

Birmingham have an eight match curse to ditch as they welcome recently relegated Burnley to fortress St. Andrews. It will have been nearly two whole months since Birmingham last won a Premier League fixture, a 2-1 win away at Portsmouth, and after enduring a torrid period of form will be eager to grab this glorious opportunity to leave the St. Andrews faithful on a high with an expected victory on Saturday.

This will be the last time the Birmingham players and management staff will take to the St. Andrews pitch for a Premiership fixture for some time, well, just a couple of months actually, as Birmingham secured their status within England’s to-flight months ago after a stunning 2009-2010 campaign. However, while their safety was assured a long time ago, it could have been so much better had Birmingham not faltered in the last hundred yards of the closing season. Alex McLeish had guided the club to within a whisker of European football but this plague like spell of theirs has put pay to any European aspirations they had. Instead, their only salvation will come in the form of a top ten finish, although we’re highly confident everyone at the club would have snapped your hand off had you offered them a similar end of season finish at the very start of the campaign.

Quite how you jeer yourself up for a top ten finish after seeing your European dreams dashed we don’t quite know. However, with just two games left to play, we see little point in dwelling on the near miss and would rather the squad leave the 2009-2010 season with a bang. This home encounter with Burnley provides them with a glorious chance to do just that while nailing down a certain top ten finish in the process should they beat the Clarets. On paper it looks pretty straightforward; 9^th placed Birmingham taking on 19^th and already relegated Burnley – a team which has conceded an astonishing 50 away goals this season. We still think it will be one-way traffic at St. Andrews, in Birmingham’s way of course, but the team will need to drown their D-Day sorrows in double quick-time if they are to reward their fans for their loyal following throughout the season with a final home win.

Birmingham City haven’t at home in four games so will be eager to bow out with a win to end the drought. We see little reason as to why they won’t or can’t attain the victory they crave despite coming into this very easy fixture off the back of a disappointing Derby defeat to Aston Villa. The Blues played extremely well against Villa, bossing the game for periods in fact, and it’s perhaps because of this why Birmingham will feel so hard done by, as well as a dubious penalty going against them. However, like we said earlier, we see little point in dwelling on their recent misfortunes, as it’s now time to repay the fans with a final victory, ideally in an emphatic manner in order to banish a bizarre winning voodoo of Birmingham winning all of their league games this season – 12 in all – by a narrow one goal margin.

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LLWLL

Motive: None – Relegated

It’s been the worst kept secret for some time now but Burnley’s imminent demise from the Premier League was confirmed last Sunday, emphatically it must be said, as Liverpool hammered, quite literally, the final nail in Burnley’s relegation coffin. The Clarets must now entertain the thought of Championship football once again after the luxurious heights of the Premiership, but the club say they’re in a better position for the drop than the other two (Hull City & Portsmouth) and that the silver lining will be a strong push next season for an instant return.

Plans for next season will have already began after Liverpool sped Burnley’s relegation process along with a resounding 4-0 win at Turf Moor. It was Burnley’s 23^rd defeat of the campaign, which is staggering, but it was just their seventh at home while the scoreline was a tad flattering in a game where Burnley, at least for the first 45 minutes, remained competitive. Now, though, they go on their travels, what has been their achilles heel this season, aiming to better their dire away record of four points collected from 18 away fixtures by getting something out of their trip to Birmingham.

The Clarets have been a woeful away proposition, by far and away the worst away team we’ve ever seen in the Premiership, so forgive for not holding out much hope for Brian Law’s men despite those hypothetical pressure shackles being released last weekend. Some will say the Burnley team can now let their hair down. We, however, feel that could aid towards their own downfall as a fearless Burnley will leave even more gaps in an otherwise joke of a defence. Poor old Brian Jensen has conceded a whopping 50 away goals this season. Jensen has been like a lamb to the slaughter for Burnley this season, sticking his goalkeeping reputation on the line behind a woeful defence which has conceded nearly 3 goals every away game this season. We expect his already low, faltering spirit to dampen further with the trip to Birmingham this Saturday as Burnley look set to end a miserable away campaign with their 17^th away defeat of the season.

Match Verdict: Birmingham City to WIN – 1.53 SkyBet

This will be Birmingham’s easiest home assignment of the season against a team which could concede a good 5 or 6 on their day, possibly 7 or 8 on a bad day. Birmingham, though, haven’t been at their best of late so 7 or 8 looks unrealistic. A big win however is very much in the offing and it would be the ideal goodbye to the St. Andrews crowd in what has been a very enjoyable and successful season at the club.

Burnley will surely travel to Birmingham looking to play on the front foot now that their relegation was confirmed. They’ll want to end the season with a few goals themselves and will approach this fixture with no fear. However, that will lead to more gaps in the Burnley, as if that was possible, gaps which won’t take Birmingham long to expose and then exploit. We aren’t just going for the home win, we’re going for a comfortable home win.

Match Odds

Birmingham City – 1.53 SkyBet

Draw – 4.30 Boylesports

Burnley – 7.00 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Birmingham/Birmingham (HT/FT Betting) – 2.45 bWin

Burnley V Liverpool

Sunday, 25^th April – 15:00 (GMT)

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LLLWL

Burnley are in effect one loss away from confirmed relegation, so the arrival of fourth place chasing Liverpool perhaps isn’t the est sight in the world for Burnley fans as their Premiership season, their first ever, could draw to a close earlier than expected. The last two months has consisted of must win game after must win game, but yet Burnley have still conjured just one win from their last eleven league fixtures. Some say the ‘must win’ phrase gets thrown about too easily, but in Burnley’s case this is the only caption needed above their name as the Clarets are just 90 minutes away from returning from returning beneath where they came.

In fairness, Burnley have hardly put up a fight for their Premiership status and almost deserve to be relegated as others in and around them have shown far more fighting spirit and determination to prevail. Brian Laws, who was a poor appointment in my eyes, has done little to inspire the Burnley players since his arrival in January, and in turn Burnley’s demise has been rapid and emphatic. There is now a four point gap between them and safety, while even a draw could confine Burnley to the Championship as should West Ham secure victory elsewhere, Burnley would be relegated through their vastly inferior goal difference. Oh, how those 4,5,6-0 defeats have come back to haunt them!

To their credit, Burnley weren’t half bad away at Sunderland last weekend, although the outcome was one to be expected as they crashed to their 22^nd defeat of the campaign. It was, however, away from home and it’s at home where Burnley’s rebellious attitude has been as they’ve picked up far more points at Turf Moor than on their travels this season. However, it appears even their home form, the form which many pundits suggested could keep the Clarets in the Premiership at Christmas, has deserted them for the hills with Burnley going five games at home without a league win, while four of those were losing outcomes. During that game span, Burnley have lost to some poor sides while the first decent team to pay them a visit since January was that of Man City, and the Sky Blues obliterated Burnley in a 6-1 demolition job at Turf Moor.

Will Turf Moor be the setting of another cricket scoreline. The fans certainly hope not, while no-one really likes to see a team relegated after receiving a spanking. However, with Liverpool still chasing Europe and going all out to win their remaining league fixtures, we don’t see Burnley getting anything from yet another league fixture. They will take heart from the fact their more glamours opponents were in Europa League action just on Thursday, and that the Burnley players should have the edge in the fitness department, but there is still a Nile like gulf in class between these two teams and it should show to the dismay of the unfortunate Burnley crowd.

Liverpool

League Position:

Recent Form:

A 24 hour trip to Madrid was in vein as Liverpool came away from their Europa League Semi-Final tie with Atletico Madrid with a 1-0 defeat in what could be best described as a brutal encounter, for the viewer that was as it was arguably the dullest game of football we’ve seen all season, and believe me, that’s some statement considering we’ve watched plenty of Hull City. Burnley, however, despite being lower in the table than Hull City, don’t do drab games, but by the same token they don’t do winning either. So, surely this fixture is there for the taken for Rafa’s Reds but will their midweek exertions cost them dear, while finally putting to bed their top four ambitions.

It’s pretty simple for Liverpool; lose at Turf Murf, or draw for that matter, and you can wave goodbye to Champions League football and begin getting accustomed to life in the Europa League – A competition which Liverpool are way too good for even if they haven’t exactly excelled in this years competition. If Liverpool’s chances at Turf Moor are to be judged on past away performances, their recent ones to be precise, then we don’t hold out much hope despite Burnley looking an absolute wreck at the back. Their defeat on Thursday, which was of course in Europe, was their third away loss of the competition but the Europa League hasn’t just been the setting for some bad results for Liverpool as they’ve faltered badly away from home in the Premiership as well. So much so that Rafa hasn’t guided Liverpool to an away victory since they beat Unirea Urziceni in Europa in Romania back in February. League wise, however, Liverpool haven’t won away from home since the 29^th December when they beat Aston Villa 1-0 at Villa Park via a late Torres strike – A striker Rafa won’t have at his disposal for the rest of the season.

The bare fact is Liverpool have yet to win on the road in 2010 after seven miserable attempts to end their baron run. It’s a run which has effectively killed of their top four dream and unless they put their poor vein of away form to bed, Liverpool’s push for fourth, an audacious and unlikely push it must be said, will be dead in the water as they say. Fortunately for them Burnley are woeful and conceded six in their last home encounter in a 6-1 loss to a team Liverpool need to catch up with in Manchester City. We’ve watched a lot of Liverpool of late and we think it’s safe to say that despite scoring 3 at home to West Ham in their last league fixture, it’s very unlikely they’ll equal City’s tally. If Torres was available then the Spaniard would have been odds-on to equal City’s marker by himself, but with N’Gog up front, Kuyt looking tired and Gerrard ineffective, Liverpool will consider themselves lucky to etch out a narrow win, a much needed win.

Match Verdict: Liverpool to WIN – 1.62 BetFred

We couldn’t back Burnley with stolen money right now, and while Liverpool are far from a model of consistency, we simply have to predict an away win as surely nothing else is even possible? Rafael Benitez guranteeded Liverpool would finish in the top four come the end of the season but could find his team completely out of the running should they not secure three points on Sunday. Against a woeful Burnley side, you just have to fancy their chances as it’s difficult to see Liverpool not scoring a good few even if they’re striking options don’t look as potent as others.

Match Odds

Burnley – 6.00 SkyBet

Draw – 4.00 Bet365

Liverpool – 1.62 BetFred

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Liverpool to Score 3 Goals or More – 3.00 PaddyPower

Sunderland V Burnley

Saturday, 17^th April – 15:00 (GMT)

Sunderland

League Position:

Recent Form:

Sunderland will look to maintain their fine form at home with their third successive win at the Stadium of Light. The visitors on Saturday will be 18^th placed Burnley, a side who’ve lost all but two of their away fixtures thus far. So surely Sunderland are what we punters like to class as ‘Bankers’? We’ve learnt down the years that this typical mindset often leads to burnt fingers, but Sunderland, with Darren Bent scoring goals for fun at the forefront of the Sunderland attack, simply have to win this fixture even if it’s just to retain some dignity, as just about every team in the land has beaten Burnley at home this season.

Manchester City, in a 3-3 draw, and Hull City last Saturday, are the only teams to have dropped points against Burnley at home this season. That’s the company Sunderland could share should they not despatch Burnley with consummate ease on Saturday afternoon. They are in a rich vein of form however, especially at home, so there really shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Sunderland were, however, on the losing end of a 1-0 defeat at West Ham last weekend, but their form at home reads very impressively as they’ve not lost on Tyneside this side of Christmas, going eight games at home without defeat. Moreover, victory on Saturday, one which is to be expected by most punters and pundits alike, would send Sunderland to their third successive win at The Stadium of Light.

With 38 points on the board and settled into 13^th position, you feel Sunderland are safe from the drop, although it should never have been in question. Sunderland made a superb start to the season, pushing Chelsea and Manchester United close in the early stages of the season, as well as beating both Liverpool & Arsenal. It was those pair of victories which had us all thinking Sunderland were capable of finishing in the European spots – My, how we were wrong. Perhaps all this European expectation got to their heads somewhat as something clearly wasn’t right with their performance just before the Christmas festive fixtures, and the start of the new year for that matter. Recently, though, the Black Cats have started to click again, with this especially being the case when at home, having lost just two of their last eight fixtures, while even wins are starting to crop up, Hooray!

While Sunderland have suffered two defeats in their last eight, neither of them came on Tyneside at the Stadium of Light. It’s been a fortress for Sunderland this season with only Chelsea and Aston Villa winning there all season. Some of the high and mighty have even fallen their. Even recently Sunderland have despatched with two teams inside the top ten in the table. They beat Birmingham City in an impressive manner in middle of March winning 3-1, while it was only a fortnight ago that they claimed the scalp of a Tottenham side chasing the European dream, also winning 3-1. The two 3′s just about sum Sunderland up of late in that they’re scoring plenty of goals against teams which don’t generally concede an awful lot. As we said before, Sunderland are beginning to click and it’s now a time in the season when international places are there to be had, something Darren Bent, whom has 22 league goals to his name and has scored twice in Sunderland previous two home games, knows only too well about.

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LLLLW

The Clarets appeared dead and buried before last Saturday but a mesmerizing victory at the KC Stadium has changed the entire complex of Burnley’s situation – sort of. Those three vital points certainly gives Burnley a fighting chance of avoiding the drop, or at least a realistic chance of pulling of a good escape, not quite the ‘Great Escape’. The problem still remains that Burnley have some excruciation fixtures left to play and still need to win a large portion of them. The win at Hull is a boost but whether it’s enough to galvanize them to another victory, what would be their first set of back-to-back league wins since August, is another question.

When Hull City scored within the opening few minutes of the game at The KC, we feared the worst for poor old Burnley. Their defending was a calamity, Brian Jensen in the Burnley goal looked like he wanted to curl up and cry such was the number of mistakes he was making, while Burnley just couldn’t get out of their half. Yet somehow Burnley scraped together one of their personal best performance of the season to smash four past Hull City in what turned out to be a comfortable 4-1 win. We must pay compliments to Graham Alexander though after two sublime penalties. He’s now converted every single spot-kick he has taken in a Burnley shirt and it wasn’t difficult to see why.

That win at Hull came at just the right time as Burnley didn’t appear to have an away point in them let a lone a win. They now need another though, which is probably asking a bit too much considering they’ve lost 15 of 17 away fixtures this season and that their only away win has come against a team in an even worse predicament than themselves. Even so, the confidence that win will give them could be significant as the players now know what they’re capable of away from home and that won’t roll-over for every Tom, Dick and Harry. By the same token however, their away record still looks ridiculously bad and hard to ignore.

While Burnley did manage four at The KC, we mustn’t disregard the fact that three came from set-plays; two from the spot and one was a bit of a fluke free-kick from Elliot. Only one, Paterson’s effort, actually came from open play so there is still doubts over whether Burnley have the creative players needed to carve open defences in the Premiership. The proof is in the pudding as before their four goal haul at Hull, Burnley had scored just 11 away goals., while they’ve failed to score in 65% (11/17) of away league fixtures. Combine this with their still shambolic away record of 1-1-15 and you can see why Burnley won’t have too many backers this Saturday.

Match Prediction: Sunderland to WIN – 1.62 Boylesports

Burnley’s win at Hull hasn’t succeeded in throwing a spanner in the works as we still fancy Sunderland’s chances of steam rolling the Clarets at The Stadium of Light. I’ve watched Burnley’s defending in recent games and it’s been woeful. I’ve also been left in awe at the amount of ease Sunderland seem to get forward and score, while Darren Bent is proving one of the buys of the season up front for Sunderland and has scored two goals in two successive home fixtures. The three points will be going one way, or nowhere we should say, as Sunderland get the nod, an obvious nod to strike a killer blow on Burnley with victory at the Stadium of Light.

Match Odds

Sunderland – 1.62 Boylesports

Draw – 4.00 VCbet

Burnley – 6.50 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Darren Bent FGS – 4.00 Bet365

Hull City V Burnley

Saturday, 10^th April – 15:00 GMT

Hull City

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LLLWL

Hull’s bid to avoid the dreaded drop was dealt a swift blow at the weekend as the Tigers fell to their seventh defeat of the campaign on Saturday against a resilient Stoke City. It was perhaps a game few thought Hull would get anything from, but after their 2-0 victory at home to Fulham many were anticipating a change in fortunes for Iain Dowi’es men, whom has now lost two of his three games in charge of Hull City and now has just six games left to save Hull’s bacon. 

Hull weren’t really at the races last Saturday in that they just didn’t deal with the physical attributes of Stoke. They aren’t the only ones to come a cropper at The Brittania but that will be little in terms of consolation as the Tigers now come to terms with life back in the bottom three. They are, however, just a single point away from safety and will head into this weekends clash with Burnley, a team in a far more dire situation than themselves, knowing that three points would both boost their situation significantly and perhaps lift them back out of the relegation zone and onto safe ground.

Iain Dowie is the man left with the job of steering Hull away from the doom and gloom of the Premiership’s basement and he claims he has a squad full of determined individuals willing to shed blood for the cause. Well, based on Saturday’s showing we would disagree strongly as Hull didn’t do an awful lot in terms of rustling a few Stoke feathers, although Hull are hardly the type of team to get stuck in. However, in fairness Hull were never really fancied to get an awful lot from their outing at Stoke so the players didn’t have to deal with that winning pressure. That will change on Saturday though as this is a fixture where not only do Hull stand a very good chance of notching up a rare league win but it’s a game they just have to win as it’s by far their east game left to play.

We will forgive Hull’s efforts a week ago and will give them a go on Saturday. After all, if they can’t beat Burnley at The KC Stadium then there’s no-one they can beat. Burnley are now the league beating boys and Hull really will kick themselves should they not seize this golden opportunity to register three vital points with both hands. We aren’t claiming Hull are bankers as they are far from it, especially considering their recent form of just one win in seven and six defeats from their last seven, but Hull have been more resolute at home of late and have only lost once their since the turn of the year (2-2-1). They were the winning team in their last home fixture, a 2-0 victory over Fulham, and we fancy their chances of making it back-to-back league wins at The KC Stadium this Saturday, what would be their very first of the season.

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: DLLLL

Wow – The most appropriate word we could use to describe the mauling Burnley got at the weekend. Brian Law must be tearing his hair out after his teams display last Saturday in what was an absolute massacre at Turf Moor. It was so bad that the 6-1 scoreline didn’t really do Man City any justice as they could have had a good couple more, while the fans were of the same opinion with some running for the hills before they barely got settled in their seats. If the club offered up a refund for Saturday’s ticket fee, we’re sure fans would flood to Turf Moor seeking their share of the compensation. The club haven’t been that generous but Brian Law has stated his side will be better this weekend, although it’s hard to see them being any worse in fairness.

Burnley’s 6minute capitulation has to be the fastest, most emphatic and pathetic we’ve ever seen. In fact we don’t remember any team going 3-0 within the space of 6 minutes in a Premiership fixture so at least Burnley stand a good chance of smashing some sort of weird record. To be serious for a moment, and that’s very hard as it was a comical evening in Lancashire, Burnley’s performance was diabolical and it would be an understatement to say Burnley owe it to their fans on Saturday. Some sort of result away at Hull City would go some way to repaying the fans for their commendable effort from the stands last Saturday, although only a win will do if Burnley wish to somehow mount a serious comeback for safety.

Law’s Clarets now find themselves four points adrift of safety after last weekends embarrassment and we think it’s fair to say Burnley have all but waved goodbye to life in the Premiership, so each fixture from here on out needs to be savoured by the Burnley fans and not spent trudging home midway through games, although last week was understandable. A four point deficit may not look a huge gap to some but for Burnley it’s the equivalent of the River Nile in Egypt. They just don’t look like getting any points from the remainder of their fixtures let alone a win to really saviour, while they can find themselves a tad fortunate that the only way isn’t down only because Portsmouth had nine points docked from them else Burnley would almost certainly finish the campaign bottom of the pack.

This really is one last hurrah from Burnley as this trip to Hull remains on paper their easiest assignment left to undertake. However, even this encounter with fellow relegationers Hull City looks a step too far for the Clarets who’ve shown no signs of fight or survival character and have instead decided to throw in the towel, of which this occurred a good few weeks ago. They are a club who’ve not won a league fixture since the middle of February – 10 games ago – while they’ve won just one of their last 22 fixtures. They’ve been a dead team walking for months now and soon enough we’ll get the confirmation of their demise.

Match Verdict: Hull City to WIN – 1.80 SkyBet

We can’t remember the last time we were as confident as this about Hull winning a Premiership game but Iain Dowie’s Tigers surely must be a certainty for the three points, or at least as close as. Hull are hardly the most reliable team in the division but neither are Burnley. In fact, we tell a lie as Burnley are reliable.. in Losing games that is. The Clarets will struggle to pick up a point from their remaining five games let alone win a fixture. They’re a team wobbling, crumbling and ready and waiting to concede bucket loads at your pleasure. Fortunately for them, Burnley aren’t exactly ruthless in front of goal but they won’t have to be on Saturday as just one or two will do it, while Brian laws can expect sixes and sevens from the better sides in the forthcoming weeks.

Match Odds:

Hull City – 1.80 SkyBet

Draw – 3.60 SportingBet

Burnley – 5.00 WilliamHill

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Hull City to Score 2 or More Goals – 1.80 PaddyPower

Burnley V Manchester City

Saturday, 3^rd April – 17:30GMT

TV Coverage: ESPN

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LDLLL

Pundits around the country are already predicting a Burnley demise, and well, we wouldn’t disagree with those sentiments. In fact, we think Burnley’s relegation from the Premiership in just their first season in the top flight now looks inevitable after the club suffered its seventh defeat in eight games last Saturday, only this time they not only lost a fixture against a local rival in Blackburn Rovers but a game which was there to be had on paper. That’s one fabulous opportunity to register three points down the drain and you’re now left scratching your head as to where Burnley’s next win will come from. 

We’ve seen Burnley’s remaining six games and they’re tough. So much so that we’re willing to stick our necks on the line and say Burnley won’t win another Premiership game this season. Their only glimmer of hope of attaining one final win could rest at The KC Stadium when they visit fellow relegation stricken Hull City. However, Burnley could be out of the running by the time they even take to the field against Hull as defeat to Man City on Saturday could see Brian Law’s men lose yet more ground on safe ground, and should others around them win at the weekend, Burnley could find themselves six points adrift and shipwrecked.

We don’t think it’s to bold a statement to say that this game with Man City is a must win encounter for The Clarets. With their following fixtures extremely difficult ones on appear, and with the gap between them and safety possibly growing over the course of the weekend, the players would quickly become disheartened with another loss. That does, though, look the only viable outcome in a fixture where their opponents are far superior in just about every apartment. However, there is one small glimmer of hope for Burnley fans and that’s home advantage. Turf Moor was a fortress early on in the season while all six of their league wins have come at home this season. They’ve suffered three defeats from their last four league games at Turf Moor but simply have to convert home into the fortress of old if they are to stand any chance of avoiding what looks a certain demise from the Premiership.

Can Burnley pull something special out of the bag on Saturday? Some of their earlier evidence would suggest perhaps so but their recent displays and result would indicate they don’t have a chance in hell. Not only have they lost three of their last four at home, and not managed a victory since the beginning of February, but they’ve lost to some pretty average teams at Turf Moor of late. It’s an ugly list in fact: Wolves, Portsmouth and more recently Blackburn have beaten Burnley at home within a months period. Quite how they will reverse that dire form by beating Champions League chasing Man City is beyond me and impossible if you ask most punters in your local bookie.

Manchester City

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: WDWLW

As this race for fourth spot intensifies, City know full well that a fixture like this just has to be converted into three points. However, embarrassing as it is, Manchester City remains the only team that haven’t beaten Burnley in a home fixture this season as Burnley have lost all but one of their sixteen away fixtures. That’s gotta hurt if you’re one of the City players that took to the field that day in what was a thrilling 3-3 draw in Manchester. However, that could be the catalyst the City players need heading down to Turd Moor, in case the lure of Champions League football wasn’t enough.

Roberto Mancini’s charges took a while to get going at The City of Manchester stadium on Monday night in a game with Wigan Athletic. It was a fixture City were expected to win and win well. They did come the end but it was alarming to see City struggle for attacking impotence for large parts of the first 60 minutes, while they needed their opponents to be reduced to ten men before really going at their Northern opponents. However, at the business end of the season, winning results really do matter and it was a vital set of three points which kept City firmly in the hunt, one of the frontrunners in fact, for that elusive and attractive fourth place finish.

Mancici will also have been pleased with Carlos Tevez’s performance on the night. To be fair, the second half belonged to Tevez as his 13 minute hat-trick saved Mancini and Man City’s bacon as before that Wigan had a number of chances to go in front. Now that was a huge concern that Wigan could carve City open so easily on the break and against a Burnley side which can be lively when they counter, City may come unstuck when committing too many men forward to attack. Mancini is in a scary position though as he knows full well that City simply cannot afford to drop any more points, especially in fixtures such as this. He will want his big forward stars, the likes of Carlos Tevez, Adebayor and Craig Bellamy to really put Burnley to the sword and avoid any squeaky bum moments like that in the reverse meeting.

City could find themselves back in fourth with a win, although they would need Tottenham to slip up elsewhere. Even so, that should be an ample carrot for the players as I’m sure Champions League football would lead to a big end of season bonus. However, it has been City’s lacklustre away form that has let them down considerably this season, much like many seasons gone before, and it could prove to be their downfall come the end of May. While they have enjoyed two winning outings in their last three away adventures in the league, four of their five league defeats have come away from home and they did lose to Hull City just over a month ago, so City are from from full proof here, although they really should dispatch Burnley with consummate ease if truth be told.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.75 SkyBet

I really do think this weekend could throw up a few surprises and there might be none bigger than Burnley holding City once again to a draw. The Clarets know they have to get something out of this game, preferably all three points but even a point would keep them within distance. The same can also be said for City but they’re prone to not winning their easy fixtures and have rarely done successive league wins this season. Should City surpass our expectations and win at Turf Moor then it will have been their first back-t-back league wins since December. They should win, but quite whether they’re any value at those odds is open to debate. A Burnley draw for us just to make matters interesting at both ends of the table.

We also think they’ll will be goals for both sides. Burnley’s defence has looked non-existent recently while Wigan could have had a few on Monday night. The pair know they must get something from this game and won’t leave any prisoners as they seek out some possible match winning goals. We’re expecting a lively and entertaining affair down at Turf Moor.

Match Odds:

Burnley – 5.50 SkyBet

Draw – 3.75 VCbet

Manchester City – 1.75 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Over 3.5 Goals – 3.20 bWin

Burnley V Blackburn Rovers

Sunday, 28^th March – 12:00 GMT

TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1

Burnley

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LLDLL

Brian Laws will be licking his lips at the sight of this fixture, one of a few remaining where Burnley have a realistic chance of attaining all three points. The gap between themselves and safety has now grown to three points, a win in reality, although perhaps two considering how dire Burnley goal difference is, but a win on Saturday would atr least ease some of the pressure currently on the players and my how they could do with a well needed win as The Clarets have gone nearly two months without one.

Burnley have rapidly become the Premiership’s beating boys, to the dismay and disappointment of the Burnley fans whom are still right behind their team it must be said. It takes a loyal bunch of fans to stick with a team with a bad habit for losing games, so Burnley’s fans must be saints after enduring a defeat ravaged league campaign. After 31 games, with the league coming to it’s climax, Burnley have already fallen to a breathless 19 league defeats. Of course, breathless for all the wrong reasons. Their record in the league on the whole is pretty bleak as you would expect, with The Clarets unwillingly possessing a 61% losing percentage in the Premiership, while they’re just three games away from going the whole season without an away win.

Back at Turf Moor though, Burnley should enjoy more of the play at home, in front of what’s expected to be another capacity crowd as the fans look into driving their team over the finish line, with their finish line being safety. Despite winning just six measly games all season, all six came via a buoyant Turf Moor which just highlights how different, how much better a side Burnley are when they’re at home. However, even their safety has caved in on them with Burnley not managing a win at home since the beginning of last month. That was a 2-1 win over a fellow relegation threatened side in West Ham United, although that remains their one and only win at home in 2010. Overall, however, it’s there only win at Turf Moor in nine attempts.

Burnley won’t get many better opportunities then this though, a fixture with a poor travelling Blackburn Rovers to boost their considerably slim win tally. However, the fact Burnley have suffered two defeats in their last three home games in the Premiership does beg the question as to whether Burnley will ever win again in the 2009/2010 season as they sure don’t look like winning away from home. We’ve seen their remaining fixtures and they are tough, extremely tough, especially those home ones. However, that just makes getting a result on Saturday even more significant as this home fixture with Blackburn is their easiest game left to play by quite some distance. Should they lose, or even draw, we think it’s safe to assume that Burnley won’t be spending another season in the English top flight.

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: WLLDW
 

A Blackburn Rovers team with one of the worst away records in the division try their hand at winning away from home this Saturday as they make the short trip to Burnley for the Lancashire Derby. It was actually Rovers who won the first Lancashire encounter between the two sides winning 3-2 at Ewood Park in what turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining affair. Can ‘Big Sam’ guide Blackburn to a league double over one of their local rivals, or will their away woes continue?

If we are about to be treated to a thrilling encounter then it probably won’t be down to Blackburn’s attacking endeavour as they’ve struggled for fire-power on the road all season. In fifth-teen away games this season, Blackburn have only amassed an embarrassing total of just ten goals, barely averaging a goal every-other-game. They have shown signs of steady improvements though in recent outings, scoring in each of their previous two away fixtures. While that may not be outstanding or a positive to some, it is for us, especially as they were both against two tough defences; Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. They did only manage the solitary one in both, while neither came via some slick passing move, but the fact Rovers are beginning to get on the score sheet in away encounters is at least something to smile about.

Scoring and winning games go hand-in-hand so it won’t surprise you to hear that Blackburn haven’t done an awful lot of celebrating on the road this season – Just once in fact. Their one and only away win came by virtue of a 2-0 win at The Reebok against Bolton Wanderers, way back in November. Now that’s a big concern, going a little over four months without an away win, but it can be put right with a victory at Turf Moor on Saturday against a Burnley side who boast an even worse away record then Rovers yet have been equally as bad at home of late.

The good news for Blackburn fans, and all you Rovers backers, is Blackburn are unbeaten in their last two league games. Granted both were at Ewood Park but still, you must take a positive whenever you can with these sort of sides and we think we’ve found one here. On Wednesday Blackburn were out beating a solid and robust Birmingham City 2-1, while last weekend they performed splendidly to earn a point against a Chelsea side vying for the league crown. Those were two tough games, two tough fixtures which Blackburn picked four points from and that should build some confidence bridges for the Blackburn players as they head across to Turf Moor in a fixture every single staff and players knows is very winnable.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

We wouldn’t feel comfortable backing either of these sides, with Blackburn’s shoddy away form the main reason why we’ve opted against backing them after a couple of good results and Burnley just being woeful al round. We suppose it’s a golden opportunity for Blackburn to notch up a rare away win in the league but they’ve found life hard on the road this season and could very well come unstuck once more against a Burnley side who do like to attack when at Turf Moor. Burnley are the more desperate of the two for the win but we feel this could end in stalemate as Blackburn’s superior form cancels out Burnley home advantage.

Match Odds:

Burnley – 2.80 BetFred

Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

Blackburn Rovers – 2.88 SkyBet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.80 Bet365

Wigan Athletic V Burnley

Saturday, 20^th March – 15:00 GMT

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: LLWLL

Wigan were the first team to deprive Burnley of their immaculate home record at Turf Moor back in October, with their 3-1 victory putting an end to their opponents four match winning run at home. Now, though, Wigan’s attentions turn to converting this fixture into three points and completing the double over a Burnley side even further down the table then they are. 

The Latics are going through one of their typical droughts at the minute, one made even more demoralising as not only has it come off the back of that famous 1-0 victory at home to Liverpool, but one that’s been compounded with an undeserved defeat to Aston Villa. Roberto Martinez has now seen his side open up a two match losing streak, conceding six goals in just two games, but this is usually about the time when Wigan bounce back with a win and that looks achievable against a Burnley side they beat 3-1 at Turf Moor earlier in the season. 

Wigan don’t do back-to-back wins in the league and instead prefer to go a few without winning before the inevitable victory when you least expect. That’s probably dangerous in our case then as we expect them to win on Saturday, which usually means they get battered, such is the unpredictability surrounding Wigan this season. We wouldn’t touch Wigan where money is concerned by we have to pick an outcome and the home win is our preferred choice, although the statistic wouldn’t back up that claim no matter how hard I delved. 

The best we could manage was this baby – Should Wigan win on Saturday then it would be their second win in as many games. You like? I blooming well hope so as it gets worse from here on out… Starting with Wigan managing just one home win in their last eight league fixtures at The DW Stadium. We’ve got more where that lovely stuff came from though, with Wigan goal difference at home standing in at a miserable 13-20, with Wigan’s 13 goal tally the second worst for Goals Scored by a home team in the Premiership. However, just to bring back some heavenly delight, Wigan have managed in their last two home fixtures, albeit just one goal on each occasion.

Good Luck with your back on Wigan… You’ll need some!

Burnley

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LDLLL

Brian Law will be aiming to notch up just his second win as Burnley manager when he takes his toothless troops on another away venture (Waits for the Burnley sighs) up to Wigan, north of the border. Should he somehow drag Burnley to victory at The DW, which looks a long shot considering Burnley haven’t won away from Turf Moor all season, Burnley would still find themselves inside the relegation zone but would drag Wigan right into the mixer, so this a six-point clash of the highest proportion.

Burnley have to be the worst travelling team we’ve ever seen in the Premiership, and we though the memories of Derby County would never leave us. To a good 2/3 of the season without winning an away game takes some doing, for all the wrong reasons of course, but to pick up just a single point from fifteen away fixtures is just appalling, absolutely pathetic and the obvious reason why the club are in the predicament they’re in, with relegation straight back down to The Championship starring them plum in the face. 

To sum up just how a side Burnley are on the road just look at their away record of 0-1-14 and read their form of ten straight away defeats. It’s just embarrassing. Not since November of last year have they avoided defeat in an away outing, with that being a shocker at The City of Manchester Stadium, so why anyone would back them to end their drought on Saturday is anyone’s guess. We suppose it would be typical for them to end their rut at The DW against a team that put an end to their own winning run at Turf Moor.

Brian Law does have to contend with a few injury concerns but could welcome Steven Fletcher back to the Burnley fray, with the Scotsman the clubs top goalscorer this season with seven league goals. However, that’s about as good as it gets for Brian Law as he sets out to better Burnley away goalscoring fortunes of a mere 11 away goals previously whilst managing to conceded a staggering amount in return – 46. It would be stating the obvious to say Burnley have the worst away defence in the entire league, but what they have is a game against a team just as hapless as they are, so literally anything could happen here.

Match Verdict: Wigan Athletic to WIN – 1.80 Bet365

Why, oh why, we’re backing Wigan Athletic is anyone’s guess but surely everyone is on the same wavelength that Burnley are there for the taken, what with them being the worst travellers in the Premiership, perhaps thee worst away team the Premier League has ever seen. Wigan aren’t exactly Mr. Consistent, nor do they usually win when you expect them to, but they really should be beating Burnley simply on the basis that just about everyone else has. The bookies clearly think the same as when do you seen Wigan odds-on to win a game of football?

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 1.80 Bet365

Draw – 3.60 VCbet

Burnley – 5.00 Boylesports

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.05 SportingBet

Burnley V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, 13^th March – 15:00 GMT

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: WLLLL

The Clarets are in desperate need of points but have been given the idealistic fixture to pick up maximum points as they host 17^th placed Wolves at Turf Moor. It’ a fixture they must win however, as this looks to be their easiest remaining home assignment. They will have to battle on without Steven Fletcher though, the clubs top goalscorer, but Burnley have been scoring goals of late, although they haven’t picked up a point in any of their previous four league games, which is a massive concern despite their apparent ability to regularly get on the score sheet.

Burnley’s performance at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday was pleasing in some respects, mainly just from an attacking point-of-view as Burnley had a good three or four chances to score, more than most sides get at the Emirates, yet they converted just one of them. However, a disturbing sight was just how easy Arsenal carved open that Burnley defence – the worst defence in the Premier League – and were Nicklas Bendtner not in such a wasteful mood, Burnley could have left London with a more emphatic defeat.

The clubs poor away form is there for all to see and will probably be what kills their Premiership status come the end of the season, having lost thirteen of fourteen away fixtures thus far, so the pressure is beginning to build every time Burnley take to the field in their home encounters as they now any dropped points will be costly, although even their home form is starting to desert them. In their last seven home games, Burnley have notched up just one, solitary victory with that coming in the form of a 2-1 win at home to West Ham. The euphoria at the club after that brilliant start has withered away, while the confidence of the players is almost stone dead, so it’s hard to see where Burnley will get their inspiration from as they have no recent results to be positive about.  

It’s their defence which has our alarm bells ringing, with goals being conceded in regular concessions, even at their beloved Turf Moor. Not since their 2-0 victory at home to Hull City, back in October, have Burnley kept a clean sheet in a home fixture, conceding in each of their previous seven games at home. Moreover, to add insult to injury, they were even beaten by the team rock-bottom of the Premiership in Portsmouth in their last home outing, which just goes to show how far Burnley’s tables have changed, with even their home form, what is a lifeline for them, rapidly diminishing.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LWLLL 

A familiar pattern is beginning to form; Wolves play out of their skin against their Premiership opponents, hit the wood work a few times before succumbing to the inevitable defeat. You would think backing against Wolves is easy money going by their recent run of results, but that hasn’t been the case as their performances of late have merited so much more than just defeat after defeat. There is little room for sympathy though as Wolves now drop even closer to the relegation zone, with only a superior goal difference keeping Wolves on safe ground. Defeat at Turf Moor, however, could see Wolves fall back into uncharted water, so it’s about time Wolves became clinical for once. 

Mick McCarthy must feel he and his hard-working Wolves team are cursed at the present moment in time after yet another valiant display on Saturday, only this time at home to the reigning champions, Manchester United. Wolves played so well that no-one would have bemoaned a Wolves win, which just about says everything you need to know, with a point was the least they deserved. Of course, as per usual, they came away with nothing, no points and zilch to show for their efforts as their unfortunate spell of results extends to three defeats in a row.

Surely a win is just around the corner as Wolves are playing some of the best football in the Premiership right now, and that’s us biting our tongue after earlier in the season rating Wolves as one of the poorest footballing sides in the league. Their last three games have been tough assignments on paper; two home fixtures with Chelsea & Man Utd and an away venture at Bolton. All of which Wolves should have scored a good few in but managed nothing in, once again. It’s not as if half-chances are going begging, it’s glaring missed, chances any other side would put away with their eyes closed, which does make you think that perhaps Wolves are just doomed, a club stricken with relegation fate and that their brief stint in the Premiership is coming to another abrupt end. 

If Wolves carry on where they left off; creating tonnes of chances and work hard, then a win will come eventually, perhaps even at Turf Moor as now is the ideal time to play a hapless Burnley. However, backing Wolves just seems too precarious so long as their baron run in front of goal continues, with their fruitless evening at Molineux on Saturday the third game on the spin where they hadn’t managed a goal. Add this to the fact that Wolves have failed to score in four of their previo9us six away fixtures and you’ll be forgiven for having reservations over a Wolves team ironically playing their very best football at the moment but still not reaping any rewards as a direct result.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

The draw was the only viable option as we couldn’t back either side with any great deal of confidence. In fact, with both teams enduring miserable losing runs, the draw looks a stunning bet as neither know how to win a game of football on present form, and while a draw probably wouldn’t be a bad result for either considering it would put an end to both sides losing ruts. If we had to pick one side then it would be Wolves simply because they are creating a lot of chances and it’s a just a case of when and not if they’ll score a good few in a single game. They’ve been simmering in front of goal for a while now, but will Turf Moor be the venue where Wolves boil over and unleash their forward wrath? We don’t think so as a stalemate is the call.

Match Odds:

Burnley – 2.38 Coral

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3.30 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Half-Time to finish in a Draw – 2.20 SkyBet