Burnley will endeavour to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time this season when they welcome top-six hopefuls Newcastle United to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies are looking to complete their second league double over the Clarets in three years after securing a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture at St James' Park back in September.
Match preview
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Many had written off Burnley's survival chances, but Vincent Kompany's men have given themselves a fighting chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship following a positive run of form since the middle of March.
The Clarets have only lost one of their last eight Premier League games and have picked up 11 points in that period, most recently following up a 4-1 victory at Sheffield United with a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend.
United were on course to claim maximum points after Antony pounced on a loose ball to fire the hosts in front 11 minutes from time, but substitute Zeki Amdouni salvaged a respectable draw for Burnley by converting an 87th-minute penalty.
At the beginning of March, Kompany's side were bottom of the Premier League table and 10 points from safety, but they now sit 19th and only two points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who are hovering just above the dotted line with only three games left to play - Forest are still awaiting the verdict of an appeal for a points deduction over breaching financial rules.
No top-flight team have collected fewer points on home soil than Burnley (10, along with Sheffield United) so far this season, but seven of those points have been picked up since the turn of the year. That upturn in form at Turf Moor bodes well ahead of Saturday's clash with Newcastle, whom they will look to beat for the first time in a league fixture since December 2019 when they secured a 1-0 home victory.
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Newcastle are on course to secure at least a top-seven finish this season after accumulating 13 points across their last six Premier League matches, including three wins in their final four matches of April.
The Magpies recovered from a sluggish start to thrash Sheffield United 5-1 at St James' Park last weekend, with in-form striker Alexander Isak netting either side of half time to increase his goal tally for the season to 23 in all competitions; Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson were also on target for the hosts.
Eddie Howe's side may not be fighting for Champions League football this term, but they are still in the mix to qualify for next season's Europa League as they sit seventh in the Premier League table and only one point behind sixth-placed Man United, who will welcome the Magpies to Old Trafford on May 15.
Newcastle have picked up 53 points in the Premier League thus far, but only 14 of those have come away from home; the Magpies are ranked 15th in the table for away results this season having lost 10 of their 16 games on the road, including eight defeats in their last 11.
The Black and Whites have won their last two visits to Turf Moor, though, and have won each of their last five league meetings with Burnley; Newcastle are looking to win six in a row against the same opponent for just a second time since registering six successive victories against Tottenham Hotspur between 2006 and 2008.
Team News
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Burnley are still having to cope without Aaron Ramsey (knee) Jordan Beyer, Nathan Redmond (both thigh) and Ameen Al-Dakhil (unspecified) due to injury, while Saturday's game is set to come too soon for Luca Koleosho (knee), although he could return before the end of the season.
Kompany is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to the side that began the draw at Man United, with a back four of Lorenz Assignon, Dara O'Shea, Maxime Esteve and Vitinho set to remain intact ahead of goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.
Josh Brownhill will be pushing to start in centre-midfield ahead of either Sander Berge or Josh Cullen, while one of David Datro Fofana or Lyle Foster could lose their spot up front at the expense of Amdouni.
As for Newcastle, Fabian Schar is set to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury and joins Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles (both ACL), Joe Willock, Matt Targett (both Achilles), Lewis Miley (back) and Kieran Trippier (calf) in the treatment room.
However, Howe has revealed that Miguel Almiron (knee), Nick Pope (shoulder) and Joelinton (thigh) have all returned to training this week and the Magpies boss is set to make a late call on whether any of the trio will be selected in Saturday's matchday squad.
In the absence of Schar, Emil Krafth could be tasked with filling in at centre-back alongside Dan Burn, while the rest of Howe's starting lineup may remain untouched, although both Wilson and Harvey Barnes will be pushing for a recall in attack.
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Muric; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Vitinho; Odobert, Cullen, Berge, Larsen; Amdouni, Foster
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Livramento, Krafth, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Anderson; Gordon, Isak, Barnes
We say: Burnley 1-3 Newcastle United
Burnley's resurgent form at Turf Moor and Newcastle's woes on the road suggest that a closely-fought contest could be on the cards this weekend. Nevertheless, the Magpies will be regarded as favourites to come out on top, and with in-form Isak leading the line, we can see the away side outscoring their opponents to claim three valuable points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
