Two claret-clad teams will both endeavour to react to recent losses when West Ham United welcome Burnley to the London Stadium in Sunday's Premier League battle.
The Irons went down 1-0 to Freiburg in the opening leg of their Europa League last-16 battle on Thursday, while Vincent Kompany's men suffered a 2-0 reverse at the hands of Bournemouth last weekend.
Match preview
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An 81st-minute strike from Michael Gregoritsch would settle the tie in Freiburg's favour, as the Germans avenged their pair of losses to West Ham from the Europa League group stage, but Thursday's first leg at the Europa-Park Stadion was not without some customary VAR controversy.
When referee Alejandro Hernandez jogged over to the pitchside monitor to review a possible handball, David Moyes's men would seemingly be given the chance to equalise from 12 yards deep into stoppage time, but in a scarcely-seen scenario, the official stuck with his original call and did not point to the penalty spot.
Moyes was understandably less than impressed with the referee's decision, but a one-goal deficit is hardly unassailable for the Hammers to make up, especially if their recent goalscoring exploits in the Premier League are any indication of what Freiburg can expect in the English capital.
After picking up their first win of 2024 at the ninth attempt against Brentford, the Europa Conference League champions produced a late show to sink Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park last weekend and currently reside in seventh place in the Premier League table as a result, two points better off than Newcastle United.
Still capable of qualifying for European football via one of two avenues this season, the Irons now set out to rectify their midweek mistakes and earn a 10th win from their last 11 Premier League meetings with newly-promoted sides, and they have not lost such a fixture since October 2021.
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Turf Moor hosted two teams without a single Premier League win to their name in 2024 last weekend, as Burnley sought to reignite their survival bid while causing Bournemouth to glance over their shoulder, but Kompany's men were made to pay for another profligate performance.
Justin Kluivert scored the only goal of a first half otherwise dominated by the Clarets, but as Burnley continuously tried and failed to find the mark, Bournemouth would eventually capitalise again, as Antoine Semenyo ensured that the Cherries would travel home with a first three-point haul of the calendar year.
At the same time, Bournemouth condemned Burnley to a fourth straight defeat in the top flight following previous losses to Liverpool, Arsenal and Crystal Palace, and still sitting 11 points adrift of safety with 11 games left to play, an immediate return to the Championship beckons for the Clarets.
Nevertheless, Kompany is still being given a vote of confidence by the board and fans - even though the style of play which paid dividends in the second tier is not bearing fruit this time around - and the Belgian now seeks to repay that faith by guiding Burnley to a first win in 10 games since December's triumph at Fulham.
Five straight losses on the road in all tournaments - four of which have seen the Clarets concede at least three goals - have succeeded that Craven Cottage triumph, though, and Moyes's men ran out 2-1 winners at Turf Moor in November thanks to Tomas Soucek's last-gasp intervention.
Team News
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Midway through the second half of Thursday's fixture with Freiburg, Emerson Palmieri had to be replaced by Aaron Cresswell due to a groin problem, and with a turnaround of fewer than 72 hours to play with, the ex-Chelsea man is likely to sit this one out.
Nayef Aguerd - who was a question mark before the first leg - was nowhere to be seen in Germany and could join Emerson in the infirmary, while hamstring victim Maxwel Cornet is a guaranteed absentee.
While Cresswell and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola are seemingly nailed-on to return to the first XI, changes further up the field might be more limited, unless Moyes decides that the fresh legs of Michail Antonio and Kalvin Phillips are required.
As for Sunday's visitors, Kompany can once again call upon midfield fulcrum Josh Brownhill after he served a suspension in the loss to Bournemouth, so Josh Cullen's brief stint in the first XI should come to an end in the capital.
There has been no change to Burnley's injury situation, though, as all of Nathan Redmond (thigh), Aaron Ramsey (knee), Luca Koleosho (knee), Lyle Foster (surgery) and Jordan Beyer (thigh) remain unavailable, but the latter might return before the end of the month.
Kompany's decision to partner Jacob Bruun Larsen with David Datro Fofana did not work out as intended last weekend, so Zeki Amdouni should be brought straight back in for the former, but Vitinho was a threat in a more advanced position and could start on the right again.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Cresswell; Soucek, Phillips; Bowen, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Antonio
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Vitinho, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Datro Fofana
We say: West Ham United 3-0 Burnley
An all-too familiar sight on the road awaits Burnley supporters, who have witnessed their side ship a trio of goals in each of their last four Premier League away games, and recent history looks likely to repeat itself on Sunday.
West Ham's renewed golden touch may have eluded them in midweek, but fuelled by a perceived sense of injustice over the last-minute penalty decision which went against them, Moyes's men should encounter few obstacles en route to a third Premier League win on the bounce.
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Ben Knapton
