Both aiming to put a stop to miserable winless streaks, Burnley and Fulham clash at Turf Moor in Saturday's Premier League showdown.
The Clarets were put to the sword 3-1 by Manchester City in their midweek affair, while Marco Silva's men settled for a point in a goalless draw at home to Everton.
Match preview
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Not the first and potentially not the last Pep Guardiola protege to endure a rude awakening at his old stomping ground, Burnley boss Vincent Kompany would have expected no favours from his former master in the Clarets' fight against the drop during their showdown with the treble winners on Wednesday.
There was particular reason for Julian Alvarez to celebrate on his 24th birthday, as the Argentine propelled the Citizens into a two-goal lead early doors, and Rodri put the game out of sight for Man City early in the second half before Ameen Al-Dakhil gave the away end something to cheer in added time.
Still on a one-way path back down to the Championship, Burnley occupy 19th place in the Premier League standings with a seven-point gap to make up to 17th-placed Luton Town - who also have a game in hand - and basement boys Sheffield United are still within touching distance of the Clarets.
Few would have foreseen Kompany's side going toe-to-toe with the Premier League champions, and Burnley could pat themselves on the back for avoiding a hiding against the treble winners, although the Clarets boss still lamented the avoidable nature of the goals his side shipped on the Etihad soil.
Returning to Turf Moor turf, Burnley still hold the unwanted honour of being the Premier League's worst-performing home team this season - accruing just four points from 33 on offer at their headquarters - although one of those points did come when Luton Town paid a visit on January 12.
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Burnley's winless run in all tournaments stretched to five games with their midweek defeat, and Fulham also have an identical sequence to snap at Turf Moor, having succumbed to their own wastefulness when Everton arrived at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night.
Squaring up to one of his old clubs in West London, Marco Silva witnessed his side enjoy 69% of the ball and let fly on 25 occasions, although Jordan Pickford was forced into just five saves, and the Cottagers were fortunate to even glean a point as Beto missed an aerial sitter at the other end of the pitch.
With scoring woes rearing their ugly heads again, Fulham's own top-flight status is not entirely secure as they languish in 12th place in the table - seven points above the dotted line - and a draw or win for Bournemouth against West Ham United on Thursday would push them further down the standings.
From Fulham's six January fixtures across the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup, Silva's men only managed to make the net ripple on three occasions, and for all of Burnley's shortcomings on home soil, the Cottagers have an aversion to picking up points on the road, where each of their last five games in the top flight have ended in defeat.
An opening-weekend win over Everton remains the last time that Fulham triumphed away from home in the top flight, and the head-to-head column also does not favour the Cottagers, whose 2-0 loss to Burnley at Craven Cottage in December marked their fourth defeat from their last five meetings against the Clarets.
Team News
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One positive for Kompany to take from Burnley's loss to Man City was seeing no more players enter the treatment room, but Luca Koleosho (knee) and Nathan Redmond - who has undergone hamstring surgery - should not play again in the current campaign.
Charlie Taylor is still struggling with a shoulder concern and will likely miss the visit of the Cottagers too, while Jordan Beyer (knock) and Hannes Delcroix (unspecified) are on the touch-and-go list.
Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana marked his Burnley debut with the assist for Al-Dakhil's Etihad consolation and could now be rewarded with a first start for Kompany's side, but Connor Roberts's participation is currently up in the air amid links with Leeds United.
Burnley's Taylor is not the only wide man struggling with a shoulder injury, as Fulham attacker Harry Wilson missed the draw with Everton due to a similar issue sustained against Liverpool in the EFL Cup, and the Welshman will spend at least another two weeks recovering.
Silva was dealt another two hamstring-related blows in midweek, as Raul Jimenez only lasted until half time before Issa Diop was forced off with 15 minutes left to play, and both men have been ruled out of the trip to Lancashire.
Tim Ream will come in for Diop at the back, and following his deadline-day loan arrival from Chelsea, Armando Broja might get the nod at the tip of the attack over Rodrigo Muniz.
Adama Traore is making slow progress in his recovery from a thigh injury but remains absent too, and with Nigeria in Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final action against Angola on Friday, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey will also miss the trip to Turf Moor.
However, with Senegal going out to Ivory Coast in the last 16, fringe left-back Fode Ballo-Toure could return to strengthen Fulham's defensive options.
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Vitinho, O'Shea, Ekdal, Al-Dakhil; Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Datro Fofana
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Decordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian; Broja
We say: Burnley 1-0 Fulham
With cup fatigue and fresh injury blows bedevilling a goal-shy Fulham side who have struggled to perform on the road all season, the stage could be set for a Burnley redemption tale at Turf Moor, especially when the Clarets' notable recent results against the visitors are taken into account.
Kompany's men will be working with a day's less rest than their capital counterparts and are hardly prolific themselves, but we still have faith in the Clarets to reignite their faltering survival charge by doing the double over the Cottagers.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
