Match Preview: Burnley

CRAVEN COTTAGE | 20:00 KO | PREMIER LEAGUE

Image: Fulham FC

9 points behind with 4 games to go, it’s fair to say our time in the Premier League is all but over. It would take a miracle to avoid a 3rd relegation in 7 years, and we’d need no less than maximum points from all 4 games, despite winning just 5 in the previous 34. Personally, I see Monday night at the Cottage as a formality, with it being a case of when, not if we’re relegated…

Burnley have been relegation rivals for most of the season, however, their clinical edge and ability to score goals has been crucial to their survival, with a 4-0 away victory at Wolves for the Clarets highlighting the massive difference in the ability to score goals and pick up 3 points. Despite Burnley’s different style of play compared to the rest of the league, it’s proved to be effective for them, securing Premier League football for another season, picking up points when they were desperately needed.

With Championship football all but certain next season, as a Fulham fan you naturally start to look back on games where you should’ve picked up points, and where we’d be now if we could put the ball in the net enough to win more than 5 games in a season! Winning games at Liverpool and Everton is all well and good if you can beat the teams around you to supplement it. The big wins in Merseyside gave hope, and it’s that hope that kills you when recent form leaves you on the brink of the drop.

Despite it being mathematically possible for the Whites to stay up, it would take a miracle, making this a game with nothing to play for. Burnley are all but safe, and will have no fears of being dragged into a relegation fight after this one.

PREDICTION: FULHAM 1-1 BURNLEY

PREFERRED LINE-UP: 4-2-3-1


HEAD TO HEAD

LEAGUE RECORD (OVERALL)

  • GAMES PLAYED – 87
  • FULHAM WINS – 30
  • DRAWS – 17
  • BURNLEY WINS – 40
  • GOALS SCORED – 123
  • GOALS CONCEDED – 146

LEAGUE RECORD (HOME)

  • GAMES PLAYED – 43
  • FULHAM WINS – 25
  • DRAWS – 9
  • BURNLEY WINS – 9
  • GOALS SCORED – 86
  • GOALS CONCEDED – 52

BIGGEST WINS AT CRAVEN COTTAGE

  • FULHAM 4-0 BURNLEY (1992/93, 1998/99)
  • FULHAM 0-4 BURNLEY (1926/27)

LAST 5 GAMES

  • BURNLEY 1-1 FULHAM
  • FULHAM 0-3 BURNLEY (FA CUP)
  • BURNLEY 2-1 FULHAM
  • FULHAM 4-2 BURNLEY
  • FULHAM 2-3 BURNLEY

LEAGUE FORM

  • FULHAM – LDLLL
  • BURNLEY – LWLLL

BATTLE TO WATCH

BOBBY DECORDOVA-REID VS CHARLIE TAYLOR

I’ve gone with a battle down our right wing where Bobby Decordova-Reid will likely come up against Burnley left back Charlie Taylor. Bobby has proven to be our biggest threat in front of goal this season, however with 7 goals to his name, using threat and in front of goal in the same sentence to describe Fulham is generous.

Decordova-Reid has spent this season on the wing, whether that’s playing as a wing back in a back 5 or playing as a right winger. The number 14 has looked better in his second season with the Cottagers, whereas his first season with us in the Championship was inconsistent and lacking in goals for a player of his calibre in that league. He has pace in abundance, and hopefully he’ll use it to get in behind the Burnley defence, and maybe add to his tally of 7 for the season.

Charlie Taylor, Burnley’s left back will come up against Decordova-Reid on Monday, and the former Leeds full back has been part of a Burnley side in good recent form, most notably despatching 4 goals away at Wolves. Taylor goes into Monday night just 2 appearences off a century in the Premier League, however he has yet to score in the top flight. With nothing to play for, will we see Burnley’s full backs attack, and potentially see Taylor open his goalscoring account for the Clarets?


LAST TIME OUT

Image: Fulham FC

BURNLEY 1-1 FULHAM (17/02/21)

It was a frustrating reverse fixture for Fulham as the Whites took a point at Turf Moor. Going into this one after victory at Goodison Park, another 3 points was vital to boost our survival hopes, however this was to no avail.

The Cottagers took the lead through a corner as the ball hit Ola Aina’s chest and ended up in the back of the Burnley net. However, the hosts struck back just 3 minutes later as Ashley Barnes equalised. It was a frustrating evening for Fulham, playing against a Burnley side also scrapping for survival, knowing a win would’ve been crucial to their bid as well.

I was heavily critical of Burnley and Sean Dyche on Twitter after the game. As a manager who hates diving, to have players throwing themselves down constantly throughout the 90 minutes highlighted Dyche’s hypocritical views on cheating, with referee John Moss seemingly falling for it the entire game. All in all, we weren’t good enough over the course of the 90 minutes, and a point is probably the most we deserved.


PLAYERS IN COMMON

Image: W H Talbot Archive/Popperfoto via Getty Images

PETER MELLOR

FULHAM APPEARANCES: 224

BURNLEY APPEARANCES: 81

Chris Baird, Kevin Ball, Andy Cole, Mike Conroy, Mark Crossley, Jon Harley, Jimmy Hogan, Alexander Kacaniklic, Gabor Kiraly, Kevin McDonald, Peter Mellor, Gerry Peyton.