PREVIEW: BRENTFORD V BURNLEY

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Burnley’s first ever visit to the Brentford Community Stadium

2022-03-11T11:49:48.755Z

PREVIEW: BRENTFORD V BURNLEY

Burnley’s first ever visit to the Brentford Community Stadium

2022-03-11T11:49:48.755Z

Burnley’s first ever visit to the Brentford Community Stadium

The Clarets are on the road again on Saturday with a trip to the Brentford Community Stadium to take on Brentford in a crucial Premier League game.

Last time out Sean Dyche’s side lost 4-0 at home to Champions League holders Chelsea but drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park in their last away fixture.

Brentford started the season well, beating Arsenal 2-0 on the opening night of the season. However, recent form hasn’t been as good and they have lost nine of their last 12 Premier League matches.

Dyche reflected on the defeat to World and European club champions Chelsea.

“I was disappointed in ten minutes of the performance. The first half I thought we were excellent against a very strong Chelsea side. For ten minutes we lost our way and it’s difficult to recover. That’s the reality of the Premier League you have got to do all the right things all of the time.”

The Burnley boss appreciates how well Thomas Frank’s side have done this season but sees the game as a chance to get a result.

“We know the demands of the league, and we know the stats and facts of the Premier League. Outside the window of the top six, they are the windows to get wins more often than against the top six.

“It’s a different kind of game against Brentford. They are making a strong show of themselves this season. Sticking at it but they have come out of a really, really tough run.”

Next week’s game against Southampton has been cancelled because the Saints are in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Burnley have games in hand on most clubs.

“We certainly don’t want to lose another one (postponement) but there is no way it could have been changed with what’s going on with the FA Cup and Southampton. That’s the way it is. It’s the next challenge to fit the games in.”

Form guide

Burnley are unbeaten in three away games (1-2-0). It will be the Clarets first ever game at the new stadium.

Prior to the successive defeats at the hands of Leicester City and Chelsea, Burnley had only lost one in seven Premier League games.

Brentford’s win away to Norwich City was their first in nine Premier League games (1-1-7).

The Bees last home win was against Aston Villa (2-1) on the 2nd of January.

Opposition guide

Brentford were promoted last season via the play-offs. They beat a Swansea City side that included Connor Roberts 2-0 in the Wembley final. It’s the first time the Bees have played in the top-flight since 1946-47.

Christian Eriksen returned to action in last month’s home defeat to Newcastle United. The Danish international suffered a heart attack on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 game against Finland. He signed for the Bees on an initial six-month deal in January.

Skipper Pontus Jansson has stressed the importance of following up last week’s win over Norwich City with another result against Burnley.

“If we lose to Burnley it doesn’t mean a thing,” said Jansson.

“If we’d lost at Norwich the gap between us and the bottom three would be a totally different scenario so three points changes it a little bit. But if we lose against Burnley that feeling will come back again.

“We’ve breathed for a couple of days but we are training harder than ever now to give ourselves the best chance of a good result against Burnley. We need to carry on.”

The Swedish international explained the win was good for morale.

“It’s hard mentally for your confidence if you lose, but we always had a tough run and then Newcastle where we got a red card after ten minutes. At Norwich we showed we will keep going and hopefully we can build on that.”

Match stats

Burnley have won their last three games away to Brentford, all at Griffin Park.

The Clarets are looking to extend their unbeaten Premier League away run against London-based teams to five matches.

Burnley’s 3-1 win over Brentford at Turf Moor in October was the first meeting between these two sides in the top-flight. Chris Wood, Matt Lowton and Maxwel Cornet scored for Burnley. Saman Ghoddos netted a spectacular consolation goal for the Bees.

That loss was Brentford’s first away defeat in the Premier League this season. It came 74 years since their last top-flight away defeat at Sunderland in May 1947.