Clarets v Black Cats Match Preview.
Venue: Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, BB10 4BX.
Kick-off – 20.00 - Friday 31st March 2023.

For the Clarets the finishing line is almost in sight. Just a couple more wins are needed to see Vincent Kompany’s runaway Championship leaders return to the English Premier League at the first time of asking. Burnley with only 9 games remaining have an outside chance of hitting a new Championship record of 110 points but must win all their remaining fixtures to do so.

Their opponents on Friday night the Black Cats managed by former Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray still hold aspirations of reaching this season’s play-offs final at Wembley. The Black Cats currently lie 11th in the league table, a distant 30 points behind Vincent Company’s Clarets; only a win at Turf Moor is good enough for Sunderland to keep their receding promotion hopes alive.

The stage is set, can Burnley maintain their unbeaten home record and simultaneously brush off the crushing 6-0 FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium. 13 Burnley players have criss-crossed the global air routes during the EUFA inspired international break, and it will be interesting to see from a Clarets perspective if travelling, injuries and player fatigue conspire to jeopardise Vincent Kompany’s usual meticulous pre-match preparations. Game on.

One’s to watch: Leeds loanee Joe Gelhardt and the outstanding wingman Jack Clarke pose an offensive risk for the Wearside outfit.

The Clarets with undeniably the strongest squad in the Championship have the returning Manuel Benson, Jay Rodriguez and Taylor Harwood-Bellis available for selection. It remains to be seen which players have returned from international call-ups to Turf Moor without injury, but I expect the Burnley gaffer will be going into this game off with the intention of securing another 3 points with more goals added to the current tally of a remarkable 74 going to press.

Verdict: The reverse fixture saw Burnley overcome a 2-0 first half deficit to win 4-2 at the Stadium of Light and was perhaps the earliest indication that the Clarets would go on to become the ultimate winners of this season’s Championship. I expect another hard-fought home victory leaving just three more points needed, hopefully collected at Middlesbrough to clinch promotion next week.

Footnote: Reading Football Club hold the current Championship record points total with 106 points, is it even possible Vincent Kompany’s new look Clarets can surpass that figure? I don’t think they can given the difficulty contained within their remaining fixtures; Middlesbrough away, Sheffield United at home but it will be certainly interesting to see if they can set a new record points tally for the Championship.

An opinion and post from the Editor’s Chair at Clarets Mad.

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