Sitting comfortably mid-table and nine points above the relegation zone, Burnley look as if they have almost done enough to avoid the drop. Yet with just two points from 12 away games, the Clarets will be thankful of their form at Turf Moor for their lofty position, earning more points than 17 other top flight teams on their home ground.
Tight defensive unit matched with a high pressing game is similar for matches home and away
Most teams enjoy a better record on familiar turf but readings of 9-2-3 at home compared to 0-2-12 on their travels is a quite remarkable discrepancy. Yet it is hard to put a finger on just why the statistics have such a large range, particularly as Sean Dyche engages similar tactics for each team Burnley play, whether home or away.
The Clarets are always content to allow their opponents plenty of the ball and put the ownness on them to break down two solid banks of four. With an average of 41.4% possession at Turf Moor and 42% on the road, only West Bromwich Albion endure less possession. Yet a strong pressing game allows players very little time to pick a pass, with the strikers leading such a tactic from the front.
More space proves harder to track
With Dyche priding his team on high fitness levels, Burnley are always able to cover every blade of grass, making an average of 14.9 tackles per game at home and 16.2 away. Although the number on the road is higher, this is perhaps an area Burnley are losing out on when they visit bigger grounds. Turf Moor is a tight and compact pitch, limiting space for opponents to play their natural game. Yet visits to the liked of Old Trafford and the Emirates make it much more draining for Burnley players to cover a larger surface area.
The resulting outcome is that goalkeeper Tom Heaton is finding himself much busier away from Turf Moor, though he still has plenty to do in front of his home fans. The Clarets concede an average of 16.1 shots per game at home, though allow more opportunities than any other side in the Premier League on their travels with teams averaging a worryingly high 21.1 shots per match.
Gaps between midfield and attack are pushed further apart on the road
Less possession is also likely to lead to fewer goalscoring opportunities. Burnley average 11.4 shots per match at Turf Moor, but only 8.7 away from home with Middlesbrough the only team contributing less.
The reason behind such a statistic is that the Clarets tend to naturally drop deeper on away grounds, often leaving either Sam Vokes or Andre Gray as lone target men. Again pitch dimensions play a key part, with midfielders taking slightly longer on bigger pitches to get forward in support of the strikeforce.
Atmosphere will continue to play a part, though Turf Moor is hardly the most raucous in the league and is not the main cause behind a 27-point difference. With the data provided in front of us, perhaps Sean Dyche needs to rethink his tactics on the road...Burnley may be better placed attempting to look after the ball for longer periods and reserve energy on larger pitches.