A thrilling encounter awaits football fans as Burnley, led by Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany, prepares to host Manchester United at Turf Moor in the Premier League.
Both teams are eager to secure a victory and turn their fortunes around in what promises to be an exciting clash.
Match Preview
Burnley striker Lyle Foster is looking to put Monday’s disappointing match against Nottingham Forest behind him.
Foster had a late goal disallowed for handball and was subsequently given a red card just seconds before the final whistle for elbowing Ryan Yates.
Despite this setback, Burnley managed to take the lead earlier in the match with a stunning goal from Zeki Amdouni. However, Callum Hudson-Odoi’s curling effort salvaged a point for Nottingham Forest.
This draw was a small measure of revenge for Nottingham Forest, as Burnley had defeated them in the EFL Cup second round with Amdouni finding the net once again.
It remains Burnley’s only victory so far in the 2023-24 season. The draw against Nottingham Forest did see Burnley secure their first Premier League point after suffering defeats against Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur in their previous home matches.
Currently, Burnley sits above only the winless Luton Town at the bottom of the Premier League table.
They have endured five consecutive home defeats since April 2022, conceding at least two goals in each of those matches.
Manchester United, on the other hand, is facing a crisis both on and off the field. Their recent performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League showcased several defensive shortcomings, despite scoring three goals.
Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, and Harry Kane had all breached Manchester United’s defense before Mathys Tel added more goal for Bayern Munich.
Casemiro did manage to score another goal for the Red Devils, but it was not enough to salvage the match, leading to their third consecutive defeat.
As Manchester United grapples with off-field issues, their on-field performances have been far from satisfactory.
Manager Erik ten Hag has urged his players to reflect on their performances and improve.
They are also one of four Premier League teams yet to secure an away point this season, losing four of their last five away matches.
However, they can take some solace in the fact that they are unbeaten in their last five encounters against Burnley.
Team News
Burnley will be without Lyle Foster due to his suspension following the straight red card he received against Nottingham Forest.
Burnley also has several injury concerns with Michael Obafemi, Hjalmar Ekdal, and Darko Churlinov ruled out.
Vitinho’s knee concern will be assessed closer to the match, but Jordan Beyer is expected to be fit.
Jay Rodriguez is likely to replace Foster up front, while Aaron Ramsey, Mike Tresor, Anass Zaroury, and Benson Manuel are all competing for a starting position in the attacking third.
Manchester United, on the other hand, have no fresh injury concerns following their match against Bayern Munich.
Raphael Varane and Mason Mount have returned to team training, but Sofyan Amrabat and Kobbie Mainoo have only participated in individual sessions.
Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia, and Amad Diallo remain unavailable, along with wingers Antony and Jadon Sancho due to personal issues.
Harry Maguire’s availability for the match is uncertain due to a muscular problem.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Burnley:
Trafford;
Roberts, Al-Dakhil, O’Shea, Taylor;
Cullen, Brownhill;
Zaroury, Ramsey, Koleosho;
Amdouni
Manchester United:
Onana;
Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Reguilon;
Casemiro, McTominay;
Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford;
Hojlund
Prediction
In this critical moment for both teams, Burnley will be hoping to take advantage of Manchester United’s current struggles.
However, Manchester United possesses a formidable attacking lineup that can exploit Burnley’s defensive weaknesses.
We predict a hard-fought victory for Manchester United with a scoreline of 2-1.