U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CREWE ALEXANDRA

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Clarets host Alex at Burnley Training Centre

2023-01-23T16:00:00.000Z

U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CREWE ALEXANDRA

Clarets host Alex at Burnley Training Centre

2023-01-23T16:00:00.000Z

U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V COVENTRY CITY - Image 1

Burnley’s U21 side are in action on Tuesday afternoon, hosting Crewe Alexandra in Professional Development League action (1pm KO).

The Clarets play hosts at the Burnley Training Centre, with the fixture moved from the County Ground in Leyland where the U18s now play their FA Youth Cup Fourth Round tie against West Ham United later in the day at 7pm.

Last week, the U21s saw their trip to Arsenal in the Premier League Cup postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Accordingly, their previous outing came at home against Swansea City in the same competition on 13th January. Michael Mellon netted a hat-trick in that game, ending in a 3-3 draw, and the striker has since made the move to Sky Bet League One outfit Morecambe on loan until the end of the season.

Striker joins Scottish Premier League side

He is one of nine loanees from the Clarets academy currently out in the Football League & non-league pyramid.

Tuesday afternoon’s game will be a second in the league this year for the U21s, who kicked off 2023 with three goals and three points in a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Mellon was again on target against the Owls, with Seb Thompson & Kade Ratchford also both coming off the bench and getting on the scoresheet.

At the time of writing, the Clarets sit 3rd in the Northern Section of the PDL, a point behind 2nd-placed Wigan Athletic who have played two games more. Only the top two in the division come the end of the season will progress into National Play-Offs.

U21 PREVIEW: BURNLEY V CREWE ALEXANDRA - Image 2

In Crewe, Burnley come up against a side who sit 8th and 10 points worse off than themselves, though the Alex do have three games in hand on the Clarets.

And managed by Michael Jackson, namesake of Burnley’s own first-team coach, Crewe took a point off Burnley in the reverse fixture earlier this season with a goalless draw.

Also experiencing numerous postponements due to frozen pitches, Tuesday’s game at the Burnley Training Centre will be a first competitive one for Crewe since 5th December 2022 when they won 3-1 at home against Barnsley.

Trailing 1-0 at the break, that comeback victory – with a brace from experienced midfielder Oliver Finney and another goal from 24-year-old Anthony Evans - put an end to a run of three consecutive defeats.

Entry is free to Tuesday’s game, and we will also be providing full coverage over on Twitter via @ClaretsAcademy as well as publishing a report post-match right here on burnleyfc.com