Clarets v Hatters Match Preview.

Clarets Mad - Clarets v Hatters Match Preview.
Venue: Kenilworth Road Stadium, Maple Road East, Luton, LU4 8AW.
Kick-off – 15.00 – Saturday, 18th February 2023.

I will hold my hand up in admiration for Vincent Kompany and his coaching staff because I am finding it extremely difficult to find the energy and the time just to publish the pre-match and post-match reports in this crazily overloaded fixture Championship season. How on earth Vincent Kompany and his staff find the time to analyze opponents, organize training and constant travel in this crackpot post World Cup schedule is way beyond my imagination.

Saturday afternoon will find Kompany’s Clarets at the Kenilworth Road Stadium taking on Rob Edwards’ play-off chasing Luton Town in a game the home team desperately need to win to maintain their promotion push. My eagle eye spotted the Hatters’ boss at Turf Moor watching Burnley entertain Watford in the 1-1 draw on Tuesday night, prior to his own team drawing with a similar score at Deepdale the following night. I’m certain Edwards would settle for the same again right now come tea-time on Saturday afternoon.

Vincent Kompany has a serious selection dilemma on his hands for the Luton fixture, Muric or Bailey Peacock-Farrell between the sticks following Muric’s howler on Tuesday evening? Foster or Obafemi to get a start following the late dramatic Burnley equaliser to shatter the Hornets’ hope of a double over the Clarets? Barnes or Rodriguez, Taylor or Al-Dakhil to partner Ekdal at centre-back, Roberts or Vitinho, Benson or Johann Berg Gudmundsson?

I mention this selection challenge just to illustrate how Vincent Kompany bought and prepared a plethora of talent, whilst he was preparing a squad pertinent enough to challenge for and ultimately win the Championship in his first season in charge at Turf Moor. I’ll bet my pension a lot of other Championship managers wish they had the same predicament.

On the injury front for Burnley, Jordan Beyer is out, while both Jay Rodriguez and Manuel Benson are looking likely to be fit to add to the selection quandary Kompany faces for the Saturday afternoon visit to Bedfordshire.

One’s to watch: Rob Edwards will be tasking Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo to ask questions of the Clarets defence.

For the Clarets goals are coming from just about every quarter and Michael Obafemi is knocking hard on the Burnley gaffer’s door for a start. The last time I counted, seven**** players have contributed a goal or two for Vincent Komany’s table toppers, make that now eigh**** following Obafemi’s last-minute equalizer against Watford. Kompany’s Clarets are scoring freely from all around the team and it’s hard not to see how the lads in the Hatters defence are not going to be in for a busy afternoon come Saturday afternoon.

Verdict: Preston North End endured a torrid afternoon last Saturday and the euphoria amongst Burnley fans was off the scale, but the joy was somewhat nullified following the unexpected mid-week draw at home to Watford. I have every expectation of a Burnley “Bounce Back” and I’m tipping Burnley to win 3-1.

Footnote: What seems like a million years ago now, I was in the away end in what is a small capacity crowd at Luton of only 10,356, when the glorious (in my opinion anyway) Ade Akinbiyi grabbed a hat-trick for 10-man Burnley in an astonishing away win over Luton.

Akinbiyi scored twice in the opening half-hour, first with a cool finish and then followed it with a powerful half-volley.

Just before the interval Burnley keeper Brian Jensen was sent off after he caught the ball outside the area, with John Spicer deputising in goal for the Clarets.
l
A Steve Howard header made it 2-1, but an Akinbiyi penalty restored Burnley's two-goal lead, before Warren Feeney scored a late goal from close range for Luton.

The same sort of result will make me a very Happy Claret late on Saturday afternoon.

An opinion and post from The Editor’s Chair – Clarets Mad.

Attachment 23536