Verdict: Over 2.5 goals
Best Odds: 43/40
Bookmaker: Bet365
Two sides who are looking to put a disappointing week behind them, Jose Mourinho will be demanding his Manchester United team immediately bounce back when they travel to Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.
Burnley
Starting with Sean Dyche’s side, although the Clarets enjoyed a record-breaking campaign last season, Sunday’s hosts struggled to adjust to the demands of European football. Crashing out of the Europa League at the final qualifying stage 4-2 to Olympiacos on aggregate. Also struggling at the start of the new Premier League season, Burnley shipped four against newly promoted Fulham last weekend and have now picked up just a single point. It will be Burnley’s often applauded defensive record that will be the biggest concern for Dyche. Burnley have now shipped 14 in their last five competitive outings and have failed to win any of their last nine Premier League outings.
Team News
Burnley will be forced to change their starting XI in the league for the first time this season, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson nursing a hamstring injury.
Teenager Dwight McNeil impressed as his deputy in Thursday’s Europa League tie with Olympiakos.
Manchester United
A side that appears to be going through a mini-crisis, coming off the back of a 3-0 hammering at home to Tottenham on Monday night, Jose Mourinho suffered his biggest home defeat in his career. Also shipping three against Brighton, United have now lost their last two matches on the bounce and their defensive issues have continued to be a huge problem, they have conceded seven goals in their first three league games for the first time in 39 years. However, The Reds will be boosted by their recent record at Turf Moore. United have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last 10 visits to Turf Moor in all competitions. Although they have struggled in the final third, they did produce plenty of opportunities and Romelu Lukaku will be hoping to be more clinical in front of goal. The Belgian international bagged 16 league goals last season.
Team News
Manchester United are without Phil Jones, who was substituted with a suspected hamstring injury during Monday’s defeat by Tottenham.
Marcos Rojo is back in training but is not yet available for selection.
Key Factors to Consider
- Burnley’s only victory in the past 17 top-flight meetings came at home in their first Premier League encounter in August 2009 (D8, L8).
- Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last 10 visits to Turf Moor in all competitions, with the exception being that 1-0 defeat in 2009.
- Sean Dyche’s side have gone eight league games without a victory since their five-match winning streak came to an end in April (D3, L5).
- Dyche is winless in all six Premier League matches as a manager versus Jose Mourinho, with three defeats at home and three draws in away fixtures.
- The Red Devils could equal the club Premier League record of three consecutive defeats, which most recently happened in December 2015.
Conclusion
Two sides who have been drastically short of form defensively, on paper, it has the potential to produce chances at both ends. With Burnley conceding seven in their last two and Manchester United shipping six in their last two, both Mourinho and Dhyce know the importance of plugging their leaky defense. With 10 of their last 11 combined ending with over 2.5 goals, we’re backing another similar high scoring outcome on Sunday.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals
Best Odds: 43/40
Bookmaker: Bet365
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