Burnley vs Everton: Match Preview

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This should be a match of two teams coming in with loads of confidence… after thrashing Sigma on Thursday the boys will want to build on that momentum by picking up their first points of the year. Burnely will be equally excited for this fixture after beating the defending champs in their midweek match. Robbie Blake gave the Clarets a dream home debut in the EPL as his stunning volley was enough to see off Man Utd. Those three points are monumental for Burnley as points will be tough to come by for them in the next few weeks. After they host Everton they travel to Stamford Bridge and Anfield. Everton, on the other hand, begin a run of fixtures that should yield points, but a stingy and physical effort will be required to take all three points tomorrow, especially with the crowd expected to be a raucous one at Turf Moor.

Moyes and company will still have redemption on their mind, with the Arsenal match not quite out of their memory yet. The Sigma match was a good start for the boys, but Burnley will provide tougher competition and at a hostile ground. Piennar and Rodwell, two massive influences in the Sigma fixture, are doubts for the match. This will put added pressure on Cahill and Saha to be the attacking inspiration for the squad. Moyes will be keen to sure up the back line, who looked suspect in the opening period of Thursdays match. There has also been talk that Lescott could be added to the lineup for the fixture, although no definite word has come from the club on that matter. If both Piennar and Rodwell do indeed miss the match it will be interesting to see if Moyes might think about putting Jo and Saha up front, though I doubt that Moyes would play a 4-4-2 during an away match. This should be a rough and gritty match, but now let’s look at some of the finer points of the fixture…

Form Guide

Everton:

20 Aug Everton 4-0 Sigma Olomouc

15 Aug Everton 1-6 Arsenal

Burnley:

Aug 19 Burnley 1-0 Man Utd

Aug 15 Stoke 2-0 Burnley

Players to Watch

Everton: All eyes are going to be on Louis Saha after a fantastic performance against Sigma on Thursday. Saha turned in the type of performance that should guarantee him a place in the starting XI for the coming matches. Always lively and full of dangerous runs, he should cause trouble for Burnley defenders. I also look for Cahill to return to form, as he has lacked his usual effectiveness so far this season.

Burnley: Many will focus on the hero of the United match, Robbie Blake, but I will be watching Brian “The Beast” Jensen and Martin Paterson. Jensen was vital in goal for the Clarets (just ask Michael Carrick), and his strong presence will be needed against a revitalized Everton attack. While Paterson didn’t score against United the striker created havoc among the Red Devil’s back line, as he chased down every ball and put tremendous pressure on the defenders. Everton looked a little shaky at the back in the initial twenty minutes of Thursdays game, so expect Paterson to keep up the pressure at Turf Moor tomorrow.

The Bold Prediction

Everton win 2-1

Burnley will be more than up for this match after defeating United earlier in the week, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see us concede an early goal. As the match goes on I expect us to wear them down and for our superior quality to show through. The formation Moyes employs is better suited for away fixtures and although any away matches in the Prem are difficult, I see us picking up a scrappy three points. Expect a physical and sometimes ugly style of play, but a victory in the end. COYB!

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