U23s PREVIEW: Burnley v Norwich City

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Clarets seek final home win to stay firmly in play-off picture

2021-04-12T08:11:14.039Z

U23s PREVIEW: Burnley v Norwich City

Clarets seek final home win to stay firmly in play-off picture

2021-04-12T08:11:14.039Z

U23 FIXTURES: CLARETS TO START OUT AT WBA - Image 1

The Under-23s play their final home game of the regular season looking to sign off with a win to keep their promotion push on course.

The Clarets face Norwich City at Curzon Ashton this afternoon (Monday KO 2pm) still sitting third in the Second Division of PL2.

Steve Stone’s youngsters need a top-five finish to go into the play-offs at the end of their first season in PL2 and just four years after the Clarets' Academy was up-graded from Category Three level to join the Professional Development League.

The teams behind them have games in hand but results have gone the Clarets’ way since they lost for only the second time in six games at Sunderland a week ago.

U23s PREVIEW: Burnley v Norwich City - Image 1

Palace and Middlesbrough – the sides currently in fourth and fifth in the table – still have to play each other twice and so the Clarets will be in a strong position if they can pick up maximum points in two games this week against Norwich and then at seventh-placed Reading on Friday.

“We want to finish this season off strongly,” said Stone, whose side goes to champions-elect Leeds United for their final game next month.

“They have got themselves in this position and it's in their hands.

“And the team we're putting out should be capable of competing over the next three games. We’re looking forward to it.”

The Clarets drew 0-0 at Norwich last November when joint leading scorer Joel Mumbongo, who came off the bench for the closing minutes of Burnley's 2-1 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday, missed a late penalty.

The Canaries haven’t played a league game for almost a month and currently sit 11th in the table.

But Stone believes the side coached by ex-Ipswich and Crewe full-back David Wright will make it a testing start to a pivotal week.

U23s PREVIEW: Burnley v Norwich City - Image 2

“Reading away will be a really tough game we know that,” added the U23s’ boss.

“Norwich have done really well and have got some players up with their first team.

“They've lost a little bit with that but they're good at what they do and are a good established Academy, so it’s always a good test.

“They are one of the ones you want to play against. I like their manager and the way they go about things and try and develop young talent. It's something we can look to emulate and try and look at some of the things they do moving forward.

“But this is also a chance for us and our Academy to show how far we've come.

“Look back three years or four years, or even longer, where this club has come from as a first team and from an Academy point of view.

“We've got to remind ourselves how far we've come. It's important to take stock and do that with the balance of looking forward as well.”