Sean Dyche’s men endured a tough night at Manchester City on Monday night in their first game since the Premier League’s restart when the defending champions racked up a 5-0 win.

The game was marred by the ‘White Lives Matter Burnley’ message trailed above the Etihad Stadium which angered the Clarets’ players and staff and was swiftly condemned by the club.

Manager Sean Dyche and captain Ben Mee have both since reinforced the message behind the game’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement and equality for all races.

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Messages displaying the Clarets’ commitment to equality and inclusion will be evident inside Turf Moor tonight but on the pitch, Dyche knows the focus must be fully on looking to build on an impressive home run against a Watford side still fighting for survival.

“The players know these games are important and they have to, professionally, get on with these things,” said the Burnley boss, whose side hasn’t lost a league game at Turf Moor since the turn of the year and could go back to 10^th in the table with an eighth home win of the season.

“No matter how disappointed they were, or are, or continue to be, that will have to be just pushed aside while we get on with the football because that is their professional requirement and it is still an important time for us, as well.

“Since the new manager came in, Watford have been fighting and working.

“There was a bit of talk over lockdown whether they thought it should continue. But now it has continued they certainly worked in their performance against Leicester and got a point from digging in and making sure they saw the game through.

“Yet again, it’s another tough Premier League game.”

Team news

The Clarets will welcome Phil Bardsley back to the squad after the defender signed a new deal at Turf Moor.

Young midfielder Mace Goodridge could also be involved after recovering from injury but strikers Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes and wingers Robbie Brady and Johann Berg Gudmundsson are still sidelined.

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Jeff Hendrick, Aaron Lennon and Joe Hart are also no longer available after their departures at the end of their current contracts was confirmed.

Watford may make changes to the side that restarted against Leicester City, although defenders Kiko Femenía and Adam Masina – who both came off during the 1-1 draw – are expected to be fit.

Gerard Deulofeu, Daryl Janmaat and Isaac Success are all out for the remainder of the season.

Form guide

The Clarets resumed their campaign with a 5-0 loss at Manchester City on Monday night.

Before the break, Sean Dyche’s men had been unbeaten in seven league games and haven’t lost a league game at Turf Moor since New Year’s Day.

Watford started out against with a 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City last Saturday as defender Craig Dawson scored an injury-time equaliser.

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Prior to the shutdown they had won only one of seven Premier League games and sit just one point and two places above the relegation zone.

However, since Nigel Pearson became the Hornets’ third manager of the season in early December they have lost just five times to climb out of the bottom three and revive their survival hopes.

Burnley won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Vicarage Road in November to record their first away win of the season.

Opposition camp

Watford assistant head coach Craig Shakespeare: “We know that Sean will re-galvanise them and get them up for the game, so (the defeat against Man City) can work both ways, of course.

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“They'll be well up for the game, knowing what they're about and what they have been about.

“We have to give them the due respect they deserve, because of where they are in the table. Yes, they're a few players down, but they've still got their first 11, 12 good players.”

Match Stats

This is the first league game ever played at Turf Moor in June.

Burnley midfielder Jack Cork, who was on loan at Watford in 2009, celebrates his 31sy birthday today.

Dwight McNeil is set to start his 50^th Premier League game for the Clarets and Matt Lowton could make his 100^th top-flight appearance for the club.

Charlie Taylor is in line to make his 200^th appearance in English league football.

Referee

Mike Dean

VAR

Martin Atkinson

Kick-off

6pm

TV coverage: Sky Sports/Pick

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

PREVIEW: Burnley v Watford

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