Burnley vs Tottenham
Kick-off: December 23, 17:30 Venue: Turf Moor
Tottenham travel to Burnley hoping to overcome some scarring memories of their last outing to Lancashire a week ago.
The psychological impact of three successive wins in all competitions will have been offset somewhat by last weekend’s 4-1 thrashing at Manchester City.
That was the first time they have conceded more than two goals a single game in the league this season.
As for Burnley, they have displaced Spurs in the top six and continue to excel as this season’s surprise package. Sean Dyche’s side have tasted defeat just once in their last five outings, though they were held to a frustrating stalemate by Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.
It’s seven-and-a-half years since the Clarets last beat the Lilywhites, and that was in a dead rubber tie when Spurs had already qualified for the Champions League in 2010.
In their last meeting, a last-minute Chris Wood goal meant the underdogs walked away from Wembley with a 1-1 draw. Mauricio Pochettino knows his side cannot afford to drop any more points this weekend as they are already likely to spend Christmas outside the top four unless something remarkable changes between theirs and Liverpool’s goal difference.
Team News:
Burnley are depleted somewhat by an injury to Stephen Ward, who Dyche has confirmed will miss two games with a knee problem. Meanwhile, James Tarkowski has been charged by the FA and will start his three-game ban this weekend; the defender may have missed out regardless as he is undergoing surgery on the broken bone in his hand.
Robbie Brady (knee), Jon Walters (knee), and Tom Heaton (shoulder) will play no part.
Davinson Sanchez will return from his suspension in a much-needed boost to Mauricio Pochettino’s defence, which means they are likely to revert to their preferred system of three at the back. Long-term absentees Toby Alderweireld and Victor Wanyama, though the latter is continuing light training.
Expected line-ups:
Burnley: Pope, Bardsley, Lowton, Mee, Taylor, Berg Gudmundsson, Cork, Defour, Arfield, Hendrick, Wood
Tottenham: Lloris, Trippier, Dier, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Davies, Dembele, Winks, Eriksen, Alli, Kane
Did you know?
Pochettino has made 79 substitutions this season yet they have provided him with a measly return of one goal and one assist. Given how tight Burnley are at the back, Spurs could struggle to change things up if the hosts frustrate them for long enough.
Prediction:
Those who are waiting for Burnley’s bubble to burst could find themselves surprised in the long run. This game will mark the halfway point in the Premier League season, so they have proven themselves to be no flash in the pan.
That said, perhaps too much shouldn’t be read into Tottenham’s heavy defeat at the Etihad, as prior to that they had gone on a decent run. City really are that good that losing by such a margin to them shouldn’t be a massive cause for alarm.
It’s around this time of year that Spurs start to hit their stride and with Kane still looking sharp despite their intermittent form, they should be able to eek out a hard-fought win. Burnley 1-2 Tottenham
