Date: Saturday 30th
March 2024
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
After a surprisingly welcome break from the Premier League,
we’re back at Stamford Bridge today to play host to Burnley.
We’ve managed to win five games and drawn another two across all competitions since February 7 but with 11 games remaining, we sit 11th in the table, a position we haven’t really moved away from and wouldn’t expect to given our inconsistencies. Yet again, we come into a game with an injury list that continues to ask questions the club don’t appear to have answers to though. As for Burnley, they’ve won just four games so far this season, one of them coming before the international break against Brentford. They have no fresh injuries although will have to play us without David Datro Fofana.
We do alright generally against today’s opponents although Pochettino doesn’t really go in for holding onto records, so I won’t mention that. One worth considering though, is that in 17 Premier League meetings, Burnley have avoided defeat against us 5 times – and 4 of those have been at Stamford Bridge.
.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, says “[Burnley] are a team that plays
with freedom, they run a lot, and are a very physical team with good, young
players. It’s always going to be tough. For us, we need to be in a different
place [in the Premier League] and we need to win and perform well. In the
Premier League, you’re never going to find an easy game – and Burnley are a
good team, an exciting team to watch. It’s going to be difficult.”
Burnley manager, Vincent Kompany meanwhile, says “[Chelsea] is a young
team, so with that the one guarantee you have is that they will always get
better. For them to finish stronger than they started is what makes sense. It’s
a natural process that they are going through. They are a team with great youth
prospects.
Yes, they are also under pressure to win but it’s no different to us. We
have a young team as well and the same need for results. In tough times we have
always remained strong and kept the belief.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Romeo Lavia (thigh) won’t play again this season, Wesley Fofana (knee), Lesley Ugochukwu, Reece
James and Christopher Nkunku (all hamstring), Carney
Chukwuemeka (ankle), Benoit
Badiashile (groin), Christopher Nkunku (thigh), Levi Colwill (toe), Trevoh
Chalobah and Robert Sanchez are all unavailable. Cole
Palmer and Ben Chilwell will need fitness checks after returning from international
duty with knocks, whilst Malo Gusto is
expected to recover from a virus.
For Burnley, Luca
Koleosho, Nathan Redmond and Aaron Ramsey are long-term absentees and David
Datro Fofana is ineligible to play against us
TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer,
Gallagher, Mudryk; Jackson
BURNLEY
(Possible line-up): Trafford; Assignon, O’Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Vitinho,
Cullen, Berge, Larsen; Odobert, Foster
LAST SEASON
N/A
CURRENT FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: LLWDDW
BURNLEY: LLLLDW
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea’s only defeat in their 17 Premier League
games against Burnley was at home (August 2017).
- Chelsea have scored in all 17 of those encounters.
- Chelsea have won five of their last six home league
games.
- Chelsea need one more league win to beat last
season’s final total of 11.
- Burnley have taken four points from their past two
league outings.
- Burnley have lost all nine league away fixtures in
which they have fallen behind.
- Burnley have won all three league games that Jacob
Bruun Larsen has scored in this season.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea 3-1 Burnley
