Prediction: Burnley vs Chelsea



Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 1/1

Bookmaker: William Hill

Buoyed by the incredible five-match winning run, Burnley will fancy their chances of beating out-of-sorts Chelsea and making another major step towards historic European qualification. The Blues, on the other hand, have a chance to close the gap behind top 4 rivals Tottenham, but they could face a difficult task at Turf Moor.

Burnley

With Burnley sitting pretty in 7th with just five games to go, many would argue that Sean Dyche deserves to be in contention for the Manager of the Year award. The talented tactician has made his team incredibly effective, making sure every single goal counts, with 12 of their 14 wins this term achieved by a single goal margin. For a team tipped to fight for their lives before the season started, the Clarets boast an impressive defensive record with just 29 goals conceded, with Nick Pope having done brilliantly in deputising for England international Tom Heaton.

Following the bright start to the league campaign, Burnley experienced plenty of problems at the turn of the year and they went on 12 games without a win in all competitions. However, a 2-1 triumph over Everton when they came from a goal behind changed everything and the team went on to win another four Premier League fixtures in quick succession. As a result, the Clarets have climbed to seventh in the standings and now have a chance to leapfrog Arsenal as well, which would be an incredible achievement.

Team News

Jonathan Walters, Ben Mee and Georges-Kevin N’Koudou are all rated doubtful, while Robbie Brady and Steven Defour are definitely out.



Chelsea

Unlike their next opponents who have largely exceeded expectations, Chelsea have been utterly disappointing this season as the Premier League holders are almost certain to finish outside of Champions League positions. The Blues did manage to qualify for the FA Cup semis and they should be able to mount a serious title challenge, but their Premiership performances have left a lot to be desired.

The lack of cutting edge in the final third has been the main problem this term, as Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard and Willian should have all done better, while January recruit Olivier Giroud did manage to show some promise. The Blues have also faced problems in other areas, and it is fair to say the squad will need to undergo some major rebuilding if Chelsea are to challenge for the Premier League trophy next term. As things stand now, the Blues could close the gap behind fourth-placed Tottenham to four points by winning at Turf Moor, but that is easier said than done at the moment.

Team News

David Luiz and Ethan Ampadu both miss out through injury, whereas Danny Drinkwater has an outside chance of being included in the matchday squad.

Key Factors to Consider

• Burnley won last five Premier League games
• Both teams scored in Chelsea’s last four fixtures (W2 D1 L1)
• Burnley boast third-best defensive record in the league
• Both teams scored in their last three meetings at Turf Moor
• Burnley recorded 3-2 win over Chelsea in the reverse fixture

Conclusion

Brimming with confidence after a five-match winning run (recorded three 2-1 wins in a row), Burnley will fancy their chances of piling more misery on Chelsea, who in turn will be in good spirits after the 3-2 comeback triumph over Southampton, so we are backing both teams to score at Turf Moor.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 1/1

Bookmaker: William Hill