Newcastle United will see their mentality and squad depth tested when they travel to Burnley for first time ever in the Premier League on Tuesday.
The Magpies saw their season-changing six-match winning run come to an end courtesy of a 1-0 loss to West Ham United at Upton Park over the weekend.
While they still sit comfortably in ninth in the table, only three points adrift of the Champions League places, Alan Pardew has seen first hand how quickly things can change.
He will therefore be wary of losing momentum heading into a busy festive period in which United face a tough fixture list of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton and North-East rivals Sunderland.
Newcastle's first trip to Turf Moor since 1983 is therefore very significant to a Magpies side whose form relies so heavily on confidence, which is growing with every game in the newly-promoted Burnley camp.
Having reluctantly surpassed Newcastle's seven-match winless run from the start of the campaign by going 10 without victory, the Clarets are now unbeaten in three games and are off the bottom of the table.
Another three points in midweek could see them climb out of the relegation zone, and manager Sean Dyche is likely to name the same side which struck late to hold Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw in Lancashire on Saturday.
Danny Ings converted an 87th-minute penalty for a fourth Premier League goal in five games, but his teammates only have five between them and so either Ashley Barnes or Lukas Jutkiewicz must start chipping in.
Veteran defender Michael Duff is still struggling with a calf injury, meaning that Manchester United loanee Michael Keane should continue in defence. Sam Vokes, Matthew Taylor and Nathaniel Chalobah are all out.
Newcastle's 13-strong injury list was added to by Tim Krul this week, with the goalkeeper having been ruled out for up to six weeks with an ankle injury. Rob Elliot will again deputise for the Dutchman on Tuesday.
Davide Santon, Siem de Jong, Ryan Taylor, Gabriel Obertan, Fabricio Coloccini, Mehdi Abeid and Rolando Aarons are among those still unavailable, while Sissoko and Jack Colback are now serving suspensions.
Their ranks stretched such that full-backs Daryl Janmaat and Massaido Haidara seem poised to play through the pain barrier in a defence which could see fit-again Steven Taylor replace Mike Williamson.
There will probably be recalls in midfield for Vurnon Anita and Remy Cabella as the Magpies seek a response to failing to score for the first time in eight games, in a defeat which also ended a run of four straight clean sheets.
Burnley:
Recent form: LLLWWD
Possible starting lineup: Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Keane, Ward; Kightly, Jones, Marney, Boyd; Barnes, Ings
Newcastle:
Form in Premier League: WWWWWL
Form in all competitions: WWWWWL
Possible starting lineup: Elliot; Janmaat, Taylor, Dummett, Haidara; Anita, Tiote; Ameobi, Cabella, Gouffran; Perez
Sports Mole says: 1-1
Joe Fish
