Burnley welcome Crystal Palace to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon with the Clarets keen to clip the Eagles’ wings and leapfrog them in the Premier League table.
The two teams currently sit 14th and 13th respectively with identical records this campaign, but following their 0-0 draw with Manchester United last weekend, Sean Dyche’s men will be keen to extend their recent purple patch which has seen them claim four points from their last two games.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, will be looking to respond to their defeat to Liverpool last time out and, after a big summer of spending securing the likes of Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend, Alan Pardew will have loftier ambitions than their current bottom half berth.
Previous encounters
Burnley possess the better head-to-head record between the two sides, winning 15 and losing just nine of their previous 41 meetings. However, they have won just one of their last six games against Palace and are winless against them in their two Premier League matches – a 0-0 draw in September 2014 was followed by a 3-2 reverse at Turf Moor in the following January.
But that home defeat for the Clarets against the Eagles was their first in eight games between the two in East Lancashire. On the previous occasion Burnley were triumphant against Palace at home, Junior Stanislas’ strike was the difference during a Championship season in which the Selhurst Park outfit would eventually go on to clinch promotion to the Premier League.
Not only have Palace kept just two clean sheets in 21 games when travelling to Turf Moor, but they have never won two games in a row in Burnley’s own back yard. Rewriting the history books would see Alan Pardew’s side climb into the top half of the table.
Season statistics
Unsurprisingly, the Clarets have outrun all 10 of their opponents in the league so far – and that includes Liverpool, who have made headlines with their similarly lung-busting approach. More of the same will be needed to reverse the worrying statistic that Dyche’s side have conceded 52 shots on target, compared to just 19 they have attempted themselves – the biggest deficit in the league.
If Palace are to continue that trend, Burnley will require the heroics of club captain Tom Heaton once more. The 30-year-old’s 57 saves this season leave him a staggering 21 ahead of Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford, with 22 of that total coming in two of the Clarets’ previous three matches.
Equally as remarkable is that at Turf Moor, Burnley have scored three times between the 31st and 40th minute, conceding none, while away from home, Palace have conceded three goals in that same timeframe – and scored none. And while Dyche’s side have won all three games in which they’ve scored during that nine-minute spell, the Eagles have won two and drawn the other when they have conceded. One record must give on Saturday.
The game is likely to be a tight affair of points accrued at home and away for each side respectively are to be believed: Burnley have the joint-eighth best home record in the Premier League (where they have won 10 of their 11 points, ahead of Manchester United and Southampton) while Palace are eighth in the away table – seven of their total 11 points have come away from SE25.
Team news
Steven Defour is likely to be back in contention following the hamstring injury he sustained at Southampton, but Republic of Ireland defender Stephen Ward will be ruled out with a similar injury. Ashley Barnes made a comeback through his own lay-off last weekend and came through his substitute appearance unscathed, and so the striker will be in Dyche’s thinking once more.
The Eagles could welcome back Connor Wickham for the Turf Moor clash, after the striker picked up a knock ahead of his last weekend’s defeat to Liverpool. Otherwise, Palace have only Loic Remy and Papa Souare unavailable as long-term absentees.