Clarets v Gunners Match Preview.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Clarets Mad - Clarets v Gunners, English Premier League Match Preview.
Venue: Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, BB10 4BX.
Kick-off – 15-00 - 17th February 2023.

Saturday brings together a genuine EPL title contender and a team desperate to avoid relegation back to the Championship from where they came only nine short months ago.

Arsenal will arrive at Turf Moor on the back of a 6-0 away day thumping of David Moyes’ bewitched Hammers at the London Stadium and it appears obvious Burnley have much to do to get anything out of this fixture.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany still believes his team can survive the dreaded drop, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta is involved in a three-way title shoot-out with Manchester City and Liverpool.

Both teams need the points for vastly different reasons, but the Gunners’ points total of 52 points from 24 games against Burnley’s 13 points from the same number of games played suggests the Clarets are in for a very difficult Saturday afternoon at Turf Moor.

One’s to watch: Lyle Foster missed last weekend’s defeat at Liverpool and remains an injury doubt. Wilson Odobert and Chelsea loanee David Fofana are likely to form the Clarets’ offensive threat with Zeki Amdouni fitting into a three-man attacking unit. Not scoring enough and conceding too many goals are the reason Burnley are in deep relegation trouble.

For the Gunners it really is a case of take your pick, household names like Saka, Rice, Saliba, Gabriel, Jesus and Odegaard are all in cracking form and provided the backbone of the team that slaughtered the Irons last weekend. It really is hard to see how Burnley can prevent them from scoring a bagful of goals.

Verdict: Hard to disagree with the bookmakers on this one. I’m going for a 4-1 away win, it hurts for me as a life-long Burnley fan to say it, but the Clarets really are swimming in a different talent pool to Arsenal at present.

Footnote: Vincent Kompany might find a glimmer of hope if the Gunners are distracted by having one eye on their Champions League round of 16 Champions League fixture in Porto on Wednesday 21.02.24 and take their eye off the ball at Turf Moor. It seems unlikely but we desperate Burnley fans look for help from wherever we can get it.

Whatever the outcome, enjoy the game. (TEC).

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[outwoodclaret]

Arsenal were so dominant against West Ham that Arteta could start resting half his team from midway in the second half. We are up against it here. We should have scored more at Anfield and I hope we can score a couple of goals at home v the Gunners. Unfortunately we are likely to concede more at our end. Trafford is a good shot stopper but we have such defensive frailty against corners, free kicks etc that Arsenal especially Declan Rice will surely exploit this weakness as so many others have already done.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Somewhat worryingly Arsenal are the EPL set-piece kings, having scored more goals from set plays than other other EPL team this season.

[sinkov]

They had a bit of crisis in December, just one win in seven games, but they're flying again now, 16 goals in their last 4 games, and you can't imagine they'll take their foot off the pedal against us.

1/3 with Bet365, if you have £300 you don't mind risking, it's got to be as near to a free £100 as you'll ever get. And if you lose your money it means we've got something out of the game, so Happy Days.

[army88]

Arsenal were so dominant against West Ham that Arteta could start resting half his team from midway in the second half. We are up against it here. We should have scored more at Anfield and I hope we can score a couple of goals at home v the Gunners. Unfortunately we are likely to concede more at our end. Trafford is a good shot stopper but we have such defensive frailty against corners, free kicks etc that Arsenal especially Declan Rice will surely exploit this weakness as so many others have already done.

Rice is pound for pound the best defensive midfielder I’ve seen outwood.

He reads the game brilliantly and positions himself with absolute class - after all that he can play a bit as well.

Excited to see him live tbh - tv is one thing but live is something special.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Rice is pound for pound the best defensive midfielder I’ve seen outwood.

He reads the game brilliantly and positions himself with absolute class - after all that he can play a bit as well.

Excited to see him live tbh - tv is one thing but live is something special.

I rate him very highly but don't think he's in the same class as Stevie G.

[sinkov]

Rice is pound for pound the best defensive midfielder I’ve seen outwood.

He reads the game brilliantly and positions himself with absolute class - after all that he can play a bit as well.

Excited to see him live tbh - tv is one thing but live is something special.

Poor man's John Deary, put Jack Cork on him, he'd keep him quiet.

[Tap in MN]

My guess is that we will give Saka and Martinelli or Trossard too much room and pay the price.