U23s PREVIEW: SOUTHAMPTION V BURNLEY

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U23s head to St Mary's for Sunday PL2 clash

2021-09-18T11:00:00.000Z

U23s PREVIEW: SOUTHAMPTION V BURNLEY

U23s head to St Mary's for Sunday PL2 clash

2021-09-18T11:00:00.000Z

U23s PREVIEW: BURNLEY V READING - Image 2

Michael Jackson’s young Clarets travel to the South Coast to take on Southampton on Sunday, looking to kick-start their Premier League 2 campaign.

Having lost out narrowly in their opening three games of the league season, Burnley secured a victory over Rochdale at Gawthorpe in the Central League Cup earlier this month and went on to claim their first point in the PL2 with a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Played out at Turf Moor last Friday, Max Thompson slotted the Clarets’ goal home from the penalty spot in what was an end-to-end encounter against Wolves, and the U23’s will be looking for more of the same as they make the longest trip of the season on Sunday.

Jackson’s side also played out a behind-closed doors friendly with Port Vale at the training ground earlier this week, losing 2-0 to the Sky Bet League Two outfit, who had a number of first team squad members on show.

For the Clarets, Bobby Thomas and Lewis Richardson are expected to be involved again in the meeting with the Saints having both been in and around the first team already this season to gain vital experience.

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Burnley sit 13th in the PL2 table with one point from four games, an identical record to their opponents – Southampton. Referred to as a ‘B team’ rather than an U23’s outfit, the Saints side are managed by ‘Head Coach’ Dave Horseman.

So far this season, he has seen his side score just one goal, that coming in defeat to Middlesbrough U23 in August. Southampton’s solitary point was earned with a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest U23 and last time out in the league, Horseman’s team were defeated 3-0 by Fulham U23.

The Saints also featured in the Papa John’s Trophy in midweek as one of the competition’s ‘invited’ youth sides. Away at Leyton Orient, they succumbed to Antony Papadopoulos’ 82nd minute goal and lost 1-0.

Though the two clubs have become familiar foes at first team level, Sunday’s meeting at St Mary’s – kicking off at 2PM – will be the first ever time that they have met at U23 level.