Predicted Burnley Line-up To Face Huddersfield Town In The Premier League
Burnley travel to face the Terriers on Saturday to end their calendar year on a high. Last season, with just one away win in the whole campaign and 40 points in their bag, they enjoyed a great escape. This term, they have been looking up instead of the bottom due to their sheer brilliance at the back and their mentality to win games late on.
Their opponents have had a fine return to the Premier League too as they are 11th on the table with 6 wins. In the reverse fixture, the match ended as a 0-0 draw, with the away side playing some unattractive, defensive football. However, the Clarets have taken 7 points from their last three games against Huddersfield Town, which a promising stat.
Team News
James Tarkowski will be serving the last of his three-match ban in this game for using an ugly elbow on Glenn Murray. Tom Heaton remains out for a long time due to shoulder and knee injuries respectively.
Chris Wood will miss out on this game as he was forced off with an injury a couple of games back. Stephen Ward is sidelined too, due to a knee injury. Steven Defour and Ashley Barnes are just one match away from suspension, having collected four yellow cards each.
Probable Burnley XI
Formation: 4-4-1-1
Sean Dyche will go into this game knowing that they are favourites to return with three points. The style will just be to stay organised, maintain a deep back line, not waste too much time passing around and feeding quick passes to Hendrick and Barnes. This side barely experiments with their starting line-up unless they are forced to. The same set of players will mostly be repeated.
Manager: Sean Dyche
Nick Pope (GK)
He is arguably in the form of his life, especially after he made 3 match winning saves against Manchester United last time out. Already with 8 clean sheets this season, the 25-year-old will know that another one is surely on the cards against a weaker Huddersfield side.
Phil Bardsley (RB)
Bardsley will play as the right back. He sticks to his basics, holds a deeper line and has good heading abilities.
Kevin Long (CB)
He has been a good back up for Tarkowski and Ward. Long stays closer to Mee, follows the instructions and hunts in pairs.
Ben Mee (CB)
The 28-year-old has been the best defender by some distance in this side. He organises the back four, blocks shots by moving into the right positions and barely gives away anything in the air.
Charlie Taylor (LB)
Charlie Taylor has been highly disciplined and sharp. His reactions are brilliant and so is his alertness, to track the opposition runs.
Jack Cork (CDM)
Cork is quick to get into the box to defend. The former Swansea man intercepts passes, reads them well and picks the early ball quite well.
Steven Defour (CDM)
He is more supportive when going forward and keeps possession whenever he’s on the ball. A quick passer of his quality is required to keep the flow of the game going.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (RW)
Very hard working and quick, the Icelander offers a lot going forward, apart from the assists. His layoffs, passing accuracy and crossing are all first rate.
Scott Arfield (LW)
Arfield has got pace along with strength and technique. He is at his best when he continues his runs down the channels and gets into goalscoring positions.
Jeff Hendrick (CAM)
Another one of those hard-working attacking midfielders who buys time for his teammates. He is a fine finisher.
Ashley Barnes (ST)
He is always a nuisance for defenders. The forward uses his physicality to hold the ball and get his shot away.