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Burnley v CHELSEA: Preview

Date: Thursday 19th April, 2018

Venue: Turf Moor

Kick-off: 19:45 BST

 

 

 

Our first half against Southampton at the weekend was one of the most dispirited, abject displays we’ve seen in quite a number of years and when Conte came out to take his seat early for the second half, you’d have been forgiven for thinking he’d given up in the dressing room and decided to miss the team-talk because we didn’t look that much livelier at the start of the second half. Thanks to Giroud though, who came on and showed the rest of them what can be achieved when you actually put some effort into it, we came back from 2 goals down and went on to win it.

That was Southampton though and tonight’s game sees us travel to Turf Moor to take on a Burnley side who give very little away at home. In fact, with five wins from their last five games, they’re not giving much away anywhere lately. So with that, and our FA Cup semi-final coming up at the weekend, its hardly surprising most realists are backing Burnley to get more out of this game than we do.

One thing’s for sure, if we give Burnley a 2 goal lead, there’ll be no coming back this time.

 

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into tonight’s game, Burnley manager Sean Dyche says “The fans are beginning to think about it [Europa League]. Mainly the focus here stays on the next game. We’ve got Chelsea next and they’re certainly a fine side. We’ll see where it takes us but it’s very pleasing to be in this position at this stage of the season.”

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte meanwhile, says “If we want to be realistic with five games to go, it’s not simple to reduce the gap, but we must have the will to fight, the desire to take this target. Why not? We have to try until the end to reach this target. We have an important game against Burnley, a really strong team having a fantastic season, and it won’t be easy to get three points.”

 

SQUAD NEWS

For Burnley, Scott Arfield (calf), Robbie Brady (knee), Steven Defour (knee), and Ben Mee (shin) all miss out through injury and the game comes too early for Jon Walters (knee) who has recovered from injury but lacks fitness.  

For Chelsea, David Luiz (knee – allegedly) and Ethan Ampadu (ankle), are both absent through injury and Danny Drinkwater (groin) could also miss out.  Antonio Conte is likely to make several changes ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, already confirming Emerson Palmieri will make his first Premier League start

 

TEAMS

BURNLEY (Possible line-up): Pope; Lowton, Long, Tarkowski, Ward; Gudmundsson, Cork, Westwood, Lennon; Barnes, Wood

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Courtois; Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Bakayoko, Drinkwater, Palmieri; Barkley, Pedro, Giroud

 

LAST SEASON

Burnley 1-1 Chelsea (12 February 2017)

 

CURRENT FORM (PL)

BURNLEY: DWWWWW

CHELSEA: LLWLDW

 

OTHER STUFF

~ Burnley registered their first win over Chelsea since August 1973 on the opening day of the season at Stamford Bridge.

~ Burnley haven’t completed a league double over Chelsea since the 1968-69 season (famous last words)

~ Chelsea have scored in all seven of their Premier League meetings with Burnley.

~ Burnley are aiming for six consecutive wins in the top flight for the first time since November 1968.

~ Burnley have not done the league double against the reigning top-flight champions since 1953-54.

~ Burnley are unbeaten in their seven previous Premier League midweek home games (W4, D3).

~ Chelsea have won only seven of their 21 matches in all competitions in 2018.

~ Chelsea have managed just two victories in their 10 league matches this season against the other teams currently in the top seven.

 

PREDICTIONS

BBC Sport: Burnley 1-1 Chelsea

Sky Sports: Burnley 2-1 Chelsea

Sportsmole: Burnley 1-1 Chelsea

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