PL PREVIEW: BURNLEY V WATFORD

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Clarets entertain Watford at Turf Moor

2022-02-05T11:33:29.803Z

PL PREVIEW: BURNLEY V WATFORD

Clarets entertain Watford at Turf Moor

2022-02-05T11:33:29.803Z

Clarets entertain Watford at Turf Moor

The Clarets entertain Watford in a crucial Premier League game on Saturday night.

Last time out Burnley picked up their fourth clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw at the Emirates

It’s Burnley’s first home Premier League game of 2022. Their last home league game was also a goalless draw against West Ham United 55 days ago.

Former England manager Roy Hodgson has replaced Claudio Ranieri as Watford manager. He has already managed Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Liverpool, West Brom and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Watford are 19th, Burnley are 20th with two points separating the two clubs. The Clarets have two games in hand.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche knows Roy Hodgson well. Burnley did the double over Hodgson’s Crystal Palace last season. 1-0 at Turf Moor and 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

“Age is just a number. Regardless of age you still need to work hard.

“Roy is a fellow I respect and I have always had a lot of time for. He will bring what he does to the squad, he might change but I doubt it. He will try and bring a shape to the side and we will wait and see.”

Dyche may start new signing Wout Weghorst. The Dutch striker has signed from Wolfsburg.

"Wout is fit and well, he's enjoying the challenge straight away.

“He can score, he's technically a good player and it adds to what we're trying to achieve here. He offers something different."

Dyche, who started his managerial career with Watford, knows the clash is a big game.

“The next game is the most important, and it doesn't make or break the season, it would be favourable if we can win the game and we have to show what we did at Arsenal. We want to build on that performance.”

Team news

Josh Brownhill is suspended after picking up his fifth five yellow card in the draw at Arsenal.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson has had an appendix operation and Matey Vydra recently underwent hernia surgery.

Charlie Taylor is described as touch and go after a foot injury.

Maxwel Cornet has returned from the African Cup of Nations where the Ivory Coast were eliminated by Egypt on penalties in the last 16.

Ashley Barnes is on his way back after a long-term thigh injury. He scored in a run out for the development squad at Bolton on Thursday.

For Watford William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Adam Mesina and Imran Louza (both Morocco) have all returned from African Cup of Nations duty. Ismaila Sarr will feature in Sunday’s final with Senegal.

Emmanuel Dennis is Watford’s top scorer this season. He misses out with suspension after his sending off in the home defeat to Norwich City.

Form guide

Burnley held high-flying Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates almost two weeks ago. It was their ninth league draw of the campaign.

The Clarets are unbeaten in their last four home Premier League games.

Watford lost 3-0 at home to Norwich City two weeks ago. That defeat led to a change in manager at Vicarage Road.

The Hornets have won twice on the road this season, 3-1 at Norwich City and 5-2 at Everton. It was their first ever win at Goodison Park.

Opposition guide

Roy Hodgson has been appointed as Watford manager until the end of the season. He is the club’s 11th manager in the Premier League.

Watford are his 17th club and he has managed in eight countries. He previously worked for the Pozzo family at Udinese. He has compared the task to the one he faced at Fulham when he saved them from top-flight relegation.

“Whether it’s a wise decision or a foolish one, time will tell. Why did I come back? I think it was an exciting offer," said Hodgson, as he faced the media for the first time as Watford boss.

“I wasn’t expecting any calls from Watford or anyone else for that matter. But it was a very easy job to accept.

“It was the siren call from the mermaid as the sailor passes by the ship. They got the right mermaid going past the right ship.”

Hodgson has never suffered relegation from the Premier League and he is confident he can maintain that record.

"It's pretty similar to Fulham. It's going to be a real dogfight this year because the teams at the bottom are all a little bit adrift - and with 18 games to go you're very worried that a defeat is going to put you further back.

"We don't underestimate the task, but the club know this is a fight and that the players are good enough to keep them in the league.”