PL PREVIEW: Burnley v Manchester United

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Build-up as in-form Clarets face title hopefuls at Turf Moor

2021-01-12T12:00:15.632Z

PL PREVIEW: Burnley v Manchester United

Build-up as in-form Clarets face title hopefuls at Turf Moor

2021-01-12T12:00:15.632Z

Build-up as in-form Clarets face title hopefuls at Turf Moor

All eyes will be on Turf Moor as the Clarets look to continue their impressive run and prevent Manchester United from moving to the top of the Premier League.

United haven’t led the title race at this stage of a season since Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge in 2012.

A point in a game re-scheduled from the opening day of the season will be enough to put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side back into that position by taking them above Liverpool into top spot before the two teams meet at Anfield on Sunday.

The 20-time champions have built their surge up the table on the back of an unbeaten league run stretching back to 1 November.

But they will face a Burnley side going well themselves with only two defeats since October.

The Clarets have pulled clear of the bottom three and are looking to end United’s unbeaten away record with a repeat of the 2-0 win Sean Dyche’s men pulled off at Old Trafford just under 12 months ago.

“We’re on a good little run ourselves,” said the Burnley boss.

“The win we got at Old Trafford was from a very good performance from our players.

“They maybe had a quieter one but we were very good, I thought, on that occasion.

“We’re going to have to be very good again. That one’s not rocket science.

“To beat the top players and the top teams then you’ve got to play well so that’s the minimum we hope to do, to play very well.”

Team news

Goalkeeper Nick Pope is set to return after missing the Clarets’ FA Cup win over MK Dons.

Burnley also hope to have the midfield pair of Ashley Westwood and Josh Brownhill back.

PL PREVIEW: Burnley v Manchester United - Image 3

Defenders Charlie Taylor and Kevin Long, winger Dwight McNeil and striker Jay Rodriguez face fitness checks.

Manchester United will have striker Edinson Cavani available again following a three-match ban.

Defenders Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw are also in contention following injury, while midfielder Paul Pogba could return after missing United’s FA Cup win over Watford last Saturday.

Central defender Eric Bailly came off during the 1-0 win over the Championship side and will be assessed.

Form guide

The Clarets extended their unbeaten home run to five games with Saturday’s FA Cup win over MK Dons.

Sean Dyche’s men have won their last two games in the Premier League at Turf Moor and have lost just two of their last nine league fixtures to sit 16th in the table.

Manchester United will go top of the table if they avoid defeat at Turf Moor after an unbeaten 10-match run in the Premier League.

The former champions have won eight times during that run and are the only unbeaten team away from home in the top-flight.

Opposition camp

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: “It’s a great challenge and it’s what the Premier League is about if you want to be successful.

PL PREVIEW: Manchester United v Burnley - Image 3

“You need to be mentally ready and earn the right to play because they’re one of the better organised teams in the league.

“They’ve got some strengths that not many other teams and clubs have, so in their own way these games have a massive impact on the morale and the spirit in our team, because if you win games like this it gives you a very, very strong basis later on.

“They have physically very strong and clever strikers and there are not many teams that have had a striker partnership as long as they have because they know each other inside out – I’m sure they even know what they each eat for breakfast! It’s a challenge we just have to embrace and be ready for.”

Match stats

Clarets defender Matt Lowton is in line to make his 150th appearance for the club.

Midfielder Ashley Westwood will make his 100th Premier League start for the Clarets if he is able to extend his ever-present record so far this season.

There has been no home win in the last eight stagings of this fixture.

A Burnley win would make it three successive home wins for the Clarets in the Premier League for the first time in four years.

Manchester United are unbeaten in 14 away league games but haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League this season.

Referee

Kevin Friend

VAR

Stuart Attwell

Kick-off

Tuesday 8.15pm

Broadcast

Sky Sports

Commentary on Clarets +