Burnley vs Newcastle United
England – Premier League
Date: Saturday, 14 December 2019
Kick-off at 15:00 UK / 16:00 CET
Venue: Turf Moor (Burnley).
Team news
Burnley
Jay Rodriguez will be available for selection while retaining broken finger in training but he still could drop to the bench with Ashley Barnes back in contention after injury.
If fully fit, the striker 30 years should return to partner Chris Wood in attack, while Ashley Westwood and Phil Bardsley are also in contention. Charlie Taylor remains in doubt and Kevin Long and Johann Berg Gudmundsson ruled out.
XI predicted: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Barnes, Wood.
Newcastle
Newcastle will be without Allan Saint-Maximin after he suffered a hamstring injury last week, ruling him out until 2020. Ciaran Clark will also be sidelined after injuries against Southampton and had to be replaced by Fabian Schar because he was in the game.
Christian Atsu is likely to be the man to replace Saint-Maximin on the wing and Andy Carroll could come to Joelinton, which has struggled in recent weeks.
XI predicted: Dubravka; Manquillo, Schar, Fernandez, Dummet, Willems; Almiron, Hayden, Shelvey, Atsu; Carroll.
Opta Stats
Burnley have lost just one of their last six league meetings with Newcastle (W4 D1), although it came in the right equipment this past season.
After drawing three and losing one of their first four Premier League encounter with Burnley, Newcastle won both games against the Clarets last season.
This is the seventh Premier League meetings between Burnley and Newcastle, but the first one took place on a weekend day, with others coming in every day of the week between Monday and Thursday.
Burnley have not won a Premier League game in which they had conceded since April (3-1 vs Bournemouth), drawing four and losing 11 since then. Clarets have lost their last three Premier League matches with an aggregate score of 1-11.
Newcastle are looking to win three Premier League games in a row for the first time since November 2018 under Rafael Benítez. Meanwhile, manager Steve Bruce has not won three straight games in the competition since January 2009 with Wigan (a run of four).
Figures ownership Newcastle this season's average is only 32.8%, the lowest in the Premier League. The Magpies are the only side yet have more possession than their opponents in a single Premier League match this season.
Burnley (326) and Newcastle (305) have played fewer passes per game than any other Premier League team this season. The two sides also play a higher proportion of long passes than any other team in the competition (21.6% Burnley, Newcastle 19.7%).
Prediction
Burnley have lost three in a row and have conceded nine goals in their last two.
Newcastle is in terrific form at the moment. Steve Bruce's side have taken 14 points from the last available 21 and just two points out of fifth.
Newcastle have failed to win their last three games away to Burnley and injuries to key players can hurt them here.
Prediction: Burnley 1 0 Newcastle United
