moor the merrier
Burnley vs Tottenham: Can Sean Dyche’s Clarets continue their brilliant form as they welcome Spurs?
The Premier League's surprise package head into the festive season in sixth place after a series of organised displays
TURF MOOR is probably the last place many would want to start their festive period, unless you’re a Burnley fan, of course.
This season the Clarets have proven to be well-organised and clinical.
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They are the surprise package of the Premier League and after 18 games sit sixth in the top flight table, ahead of Saturday’s opponents Tottenham Hotspur.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have struggled for form in recent weeks and a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City ended their title hopes. Now the focus must be on clinching a place in the top four.
We asked our friends at Football Whispers to preview the meeting between the two sides and pick out the areas where the game will be won and lost.
Live on BT Sport, the 17.30pm kick-off wouldn’t have been a game many picked out as a potential Christmas cracker – but the contest could prove to be very entertaining.
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Burnley are the form team and have lost only one of their last six games at Turf Moor. Spurs, meanwhile, have failed to win in any of their last five away fixtures.
Defeat in Lancashire would not only mean Tottenham fall four points behind Saturday’s opponents, but they could finish the weekend ten points behind fourth. Pressure may then start building on the Argentine boss.
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Key Battle: Ben Mee v Harry Kane
Going two games without a goal could be considered a drought for the England striker, but with four in his last six games, it’s hardly time to panic.
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After a couple of niggling injuries, Kane looks back to full-fitness and after the Manchester City defeat, where he failed to see much of the ball, he will be eager to fire his team to victory against the Clarets.
To achieve that, he must find a way past Ben Mee. The former Man City youth product has been at the heart of Burnley’s success in the last two campaigns.
With James Tarkowski and Michael Keane before him taking the plaudits, Mee is the common denominator and the rock who sets the tone for Burnley’s excellent defensive record.
With 7.4 clearances per game, the fifth highest in the Premier League, the 28-year-old will be key to shackling Spurs.
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Potential match-winners: Erik Lamela
When Spurs line up with Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, they can sometimes come unstuck when the opposition sit back and frustrate the North London club.
Son Heung-min’s direct play with the ball helps to open up defences but the return of Lamela is perfect against a team like Burnley.
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The 25-year-old, gaining match sharpness with every minute he plays, has the ability to drop a shoulder, beat a couple of defenders and create gaps.
He already has one assist in just 136 minutes and his dribbling ability is exactly what Spurs have been missing.
Managers’ tactics
Burnley will continue to line up in their effective 4-4-1-1 formation. It’s an intelligent set-up which often sees Jeff Hendrick drop back into the middle of midfield while Johann Gudmundsson and Scott Arfield tuck inside.
The full-backs offer vital width without Burnley being exposed in the middle of the pitch.
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Pochettino, meanwhile, has reverted to a back four, mostly due to key injuries in defence. It means the full-backs have to be a little more reserved, which limits how effective both Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose can be.
Harry Winks and Mousa Dembele will protect the back four, leaving the attacking quadrant to ask questions of the Burnley defence.
Likely line-ups
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Key Stats:
Burnley are a team who defy all statistical understanding. They average seven fewer shots per game than Spurs, but are outperforming their Expected Goals (xG) score of 11.78 having netted 16 times.
Defensively, the Clarets’ Expected Goals Against stats indicate they should have conceded 23.33 times, yet they have only been breached on 12 occasions.
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No club completes a lower percentage of passes than Burnley’s 71.2 per cent and only Stoke City and West Brom manage less possession.
Everything would point towards an away win, but with only three goals conceded at Turf Moor – fewer than Manchester City and Spurs’ home records – the Clarets will back themselves to pick up another scalp ahead of the busy Christmas period.