Burnley will host Bournemouth at Turf Moor on Sunday, looking to end their losing streak with a positive performance at home.
Burnley are 19th in the league table with four defeats in the last five league matches ahead of the visit of Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon. The Clarets need to pick up points aplenty if they want to secure safety this season. They cannot afford to keep dropping points at this crucial stage of the season.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are 14th in the league table, but they are coming into this game on the back of a six-match winless run. The Cherries will be desperate to bounce back strongly, and it remains to be seen whether they can get back to winning ways here.
Both teams are quite evenly matched on current form, and this should be a cracking contest. Burnley have an impressive head-to-head record against Bournemouth, with four wins in their last six meetings against Sunday’s opposition. The home fans will be expecting a strong performance from the players here.
Team News & Tactics
Burnley
Jordan Beyer will miss Sunday’s game with a thigh injury, while Josh Brownhill is suspended for the home team. Luca Koleosho, Lyle Foster, Nathan Redmond and Aaron Ramsey are ruled out for the season.
Burnley are expected to shape up in a 4-4-2 formation, with James Trafford in goal. Lorenz Assignon and Charlie Taylor will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Dara O’Shea will start alongside Maxime Esteve at the heart of the defence.
In the middle of the park, Sander Berge will start alongside Josh Cullen in the double pivot. The two players will look to help out defensively and protect the central defenders. Jacob Bruun Larsen and Wilson Odobert will start in the wide areas.
The two players will look to set up counter attacking opportunities and hit the opposition on the break. Finally, Jay Rodriguez will lead the line for Burnley against Bournemouth, with David Datro Fofana starting alongside him in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Trafford; Assignon, O’Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Larsen, Berge, Cullen, Odobert; Rodriguez, Fofana
Bournemouth
Tyler Adams misses out with a thigh injury, James Hill is sidelined with an ankle injury, Lloyd Kelly misses out with a groin injury, and Ryan Fredericks is suffering from a recurring cough problem. Max Aarons is a major doubt because of a thigh injury. Dominic Solanke is also doubtful due to a knee issue.
The visitors will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Neto in goal. Adam Smith and Milos Kerkez will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out in the attack and protect the central defenders. Ilia Zabarnyi will start alongside Marcos Senesi in the central defensive unit.
Ryan Christie will start alongside Lewis Cook in the midfield pivot, and the two players will look to add defensive cover and drive for the side. Justin Kluivert will start in the attacking midfield role, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack.
Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier will be deployed in the wide areas. Finally, Solanke is expected to return from his knee injury and lead the line, even though he hadn’t trained until Friday. With Iraola placing the onus on the in-form Englishman, he should push through to feature.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Solanke
Key Stats
- Burnley have dropped 11 points from winning positions in Premier League home games this season.
- Burnley have only suffered one defeat in 14 previous home league games against Bournemouth.
- Bournemouth have lost 13 of their 16 Premier League away matches played on a Sunday.
- Dominic Solanke’s 14 Premier League goals have been worth 10 points to Bournemouth this season.
- Jay Rodriguez has scored five goals in seven Premier League appearances versus Bournemouth.
Player to Watch
Dominic Solanke
The 26-year-old striker has scored 14 goals in the Premier League this season, and he is our key player to watch out for. He has the quality to take advantage of Burnley’s defensive vulnerabilities and punish them here.
Solanke will look to add to his goalscoring tally and help his side end their winless run. While he might not start if his knee injury takes its toll, the Englishman should appear off the bench, making him a game-changer irrespective of his situation.
Prediction
Burnley 1-1 Bournemouth
Both teams are in disappointing form right now, and they are winless in their last six league matches. They are lacking in confidence and momentum right now. It will not be a surprise if they end up cancelling each other out here and share the spoils. A goalscoring draw is on the cards this weekend.
