Prediction: Burnley vs Norwich

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 19/20

Bookmaker: bet365

Burnley are set to welcome Norwich City to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon in the fourth round of this season’s FA Cup.

Burnley

Having earned a reputation for being an extremely difficult opponent for any team in England, the Clarets have had a rather disappointing season so far. Since getting promoted back to the Premier League in 2016, they’ve never been in any serious danger of relegation until this term. Only two league rounds ago, they were sitting in 15th place with only three points more than Aston Villa in 18th, which marks the start of the relegation zone.

However, they’ve kicked their tally significantly up since then through wins over two very difficult opponents in Leicester City and Manchester United, and they can now breathe more easily. It was some fighting spirit they showed in those games, coming back from behind at home against the Foxes to win 2-1 and bettering United at Old Trafford by 0-2.

As for this particular competition, Burnley dispatched League One side Peterborough United in the third round earlier this month by 4-2.

Team News

The game against Peterborough saw manager Sean Dyche change eight members of the starting XI compared to the league defeat to Aston Villa three days earlier. However, given the need to keep the winning streak going in what could turn out a vital part of the season, Dyche might decide for a stronger team.

One player the boss certainly won’t be able to call upon is striker Ashley Barnes, who is injured. Defender Phil Bardsley, midfielder Ben Gibson and winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson could all return from injuries, but they all face a late fitness test to help determined if they are ready to play.

Norwich City

Norwich seriously threatened to pick up the title of the surprise of the season. A newly promoted team, they put in some very good performances early on, not least when they managed to beat defending Premier League champions Manchester City back in September. They have adopted a fluid, attacking approach to the game under manager Daniel Farke, and they have a few excellent players in their ranks, such as striker Teemu Pukki and midfielder Todd Cantwell.

However, a series of poor results followed that win over City and they gradually fell down the table. They are currently at the very bottom with no more than 17 points from 24 games to their name, which means they face an extremely tough battle for survival.

In the previous FA Cup round, they won away to Preston North End by 4-2.

Team News

Farke also may opt for a cautious approach when it comes to selecting his team for this game. He already has four players ruled out: centre-back Tim Klose (knee), winger Emiliano Buendia (thigh), Cantwell (hamstring) and Ben Godfrey (suspended). Another four are doubts: goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann (knee), and midfielders Mario Vrancic (calf), Kenny McLean (groin) and Ibrahim Amadou (knee).

Conclusion

Being in a much better position in the league, meaning less pressure on their backs, and on a very good run of form at the moment, not to mention playing at home, Burnley are the clear favorites to progress to the next round.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 19/20

Bookmaker: bet365