Form
Burnley have no time to lick their wounds after losing late to Everton on Boxing Day. The Clarets looked set to extend their unbeaten run to three matches but a late header from Dominic Calvert-Lewin threw a spanner in the works.
Aston Villa will be frustrated after slumping to a 3-0 loss at Watford. The Villains had managed to see off Norwich City on Boxing Day but that victory came off the back of another disappointing defeat against Southampton.
The reverse fixture this season finished 2-2 but it was way back in 2014 when the two teams last faced each other at Turf Moor. That game finished 1-1 with goals from Joe Cole and Danny Ings.
Burnley are on 24 points which is twice as many as they had picked up at this stage last season. Villa are six points behind their opponents and currently sit in the relegation zone.
Team News
Burnley manager Sean Dyche may throw Johann Berg Gudmundsson back into the team after the Icelander completed two back-to-back substitute appearances against Everton and Manchester United. The 29-year-old had been out for a month with an injury he picked up on international duty. Ashley Barnes may be rested in order to help him fully recover from a niggling groin issue.
Dean Smith would love to recall star defender Tyrone Mings but the trip to Turf Moor could be a little soon for the England international. Matt Targett is also set to miss out, allowing Neil Taylor an opportunity to impress. Villa may switch around other personnel to freshen bodies. John McGinn is a long-term absentee.
Predicted Line-Up
Burnley: Pope; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Rodriguez, Wood.
Aston Villa: Heaton; Guilbert, Engels, Hause, Taylor; Luiz, Nakamba; El Ghazi, Grealish, Trezeguet; Wesley.
Key Clashes
James Tarkowski v Wesley
Tarkowski has been in excellent form of late but he will have to face a different kind of test with Villa’s main striker. Wesley is a giant of a man who can hold the ball up and bring other players into the game. The Burnley defence has faced a lot of quick and nibble attacking options in recent games so Tarkowski will relish a good old-fashioned physical tussle.
Jack Grealish v Dwight McNeil
This isn’t a direct clash of one trying to thwart the other; it is more about their respective status. Grealish is Villa’s go-to man. He is even more important in the absence of the brilliant McGinn. The onus is on Grealish to make things happen and he is certainly capable. Equally, McNeil’s job is to inspire Burnley when they push forward. His energy and quality can help mix up Burnley’s attacking-play which has the potential to become stale otherwise.
Wood remains the constant in attack amid rotation between Ashley Barnes and Jay Rodriguez. The New Zealand international has seven goals this season and will be looking to add to that in the new year. Former Burnley captain Heaton is the man who will be trying his utmost to keep out any efforts from the striker. The keeper was adored by fans in East Lancashire and he should expect a warm reception on his return to Turf Moor.
What the managers have said
Dyche on a marked improvement:
“We want to win points. We’ve shown over the calendar year that we can do that.
“From the turn-around after Boxing Day last year to before Saturday night we’d taken 52 points from 38 games and we got 54 over the season to get into the Europa League [in 2018].
“That doesn’t take my eye off what happened in the United game, but we have got to look at the bigger picture sometimes.
“Have we moved forward? Yes, we have. Now we have more work to do, but that’s the standard thing in the Premier League. You can’t switch off.”
Smith on turning form around:
“It’s very important [to start the new year positively], especially after a defeat at Watford.
“It was a big blow to us all. We didn’t play well enough and we need to work harder.
“There’s a lot of detail going into the debrief on Watford because I wasn’t happy with the players at all at half-time, in terms of their endeavour and attitude.”