PL PREVIEW: SOUTHAMPTON V BURNLEY

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The Clarets travel to the south coast to take on Southampton

2021-10-23T07:41:12.354Z

PL PREVIEW: SOUTHAMPTON V BURNLEY

The Clarets travel to the south coast to take on Southampton

2021-10-23T07:41:12.354Z

The Clarets travel to the south coast to take on Southampton

Burnley travel to St Mary’s on Saturday to face Southampton as they continue their quest for their first three points of the campaign.

Burnley created several good chances last week at the Etihad but lost 2-0 to the reigning Premier league champions. Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne scored for Pep Guardiola’s team.

Statistics suggest the Clarets have been among the top Premier League sides for big chances created. Manager Sean Dyche believes form has been good despite some disappointing results.

"There's some good work being done," Dyche said. "They [need to] stay strong and keep believing. The minimum requirement is maximum effort and these lads are putting that in.

"The key is to remind them of the performance levels produced, we are creating chances - our aim is to turn those good performances into winning performances. I believe in the players wholeheartedly”

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side picked up their first league win of the season beating Leeds United 1-0 last Saturday.

Dyche knows how vital that first win was for the Saints.

“Tricky start for them. They always seem to me like a decent outfit – organised, want to work hard, try and take the game on. They worked hard to get a result. The first of the season for them.

“Our job is to go down there and take on the game again – I think we’ve done that well this season – and make sure the details are right.”

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Team news

Skipper Ben Mee, Matej Vydra and Charlie Taylor all missed last week’s game at Manchester City Mee has returned from isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. Vydra missed last week’s trip to the Etihad after picking up an injury on international duty. Taylor has been struggling with a knock. All three will be assessed after training.

Long-term absentee Dale Stephens remains unavailable through injury but is back in training.

For Southampton, former Birmingham City striker Che Adams has recovered from an injury picked up on international duty and will return to the squad.

Skipper James Ward-Prowse remains suspended after his red card against Chelsea. Before his dismissal, he had played in 102 successive Premier League games.

Centre-back Jack Stephens remains unavailable with a knee injury.

Charlie Taylor looks ahead to Saturday's meeting with Chelsea

Form guide

Burnley's last win in the Premier League came in a crucial 2-0 success at Fulham back in May. Their last four Premier League wins have all come away from home.

All five of Burnley’s league goals this season have given them the lead. The Clarets have three draws and five defeats in the Premier League.

Since the 3-2 comeback win over Burnley at St Mary’s in April 2021, the Saints have won three of their last 16 top-flight games.

Opposition camp

When Southampton beat Leeds United 1-0 last Saturday, Armando Broja became the first Albanian to score in the Premier League. The striker is on loan from Chelsea.

"It was important to get the first one but that is not an argument to lean back now," Hasenhuttl said.

"We have to keep on going. We've got another chance with a home game now and in the next few weeks we can definitely get a few points. That's what we need after a difficult start.

"I must say, I have changed my opinion about Burnley in the last two or three years," he said.

“He (Sean Dyche) is the longest-running manager in the Premier League, they're a very automised team with good habits and they're hard to beat.

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"In the beginning, I thought they were only a team that kicked long, but if you let them play they can definitely do that. They can press high, they are very brave with their pressing this year and I think they have developed their game.

"You can see they play a bit more football. They play in a very direct and forward-orientated way, and the goals they score are typical for them. It's always good if you can do what you can do in a perfect way and this can be successful."

Match stats

These two sides have met 12 times in the Premier League, Burnley have won five, Southampton four with three draws.

There have only been four goals in Southampton’s three home league games this season. They drew 1-1 with Manchester United, lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers before beating Leeds United last week.

Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez could play against their former club. Cork was promoted to the Premier League with the Saints in 2011/12. Dale Stephens also had a loan spell at St Mary’s earlier in his career.

Dwight McNeil could start his 100th Premier League game for Burnley.

Striker Chris Wood could make the 300th English Football League career start.

Referee

Chris Kavanagh

VAR

David Coote

Kick off Saturday 23 October 2021 3pm

Broadcast

There will be audio commentary on Clarets+ with Phil Bird and Andy Hodgson from 2.45pm.