Two teams separated by 15 places in the embryonic Premier League table square off at Turf Moor on Saturday, as Burnley play host to Tottenham Hotspur.
While Vincent Kompany’s men brushed their top-flight woes to one side in the EFL Cup in midweek, Spurs’ trophyless run will continue for another few months at the very least courtesy of their loss to Fulham.
Despite taking the Championship by storm last season, Kompany’s Burnley are yet to make their mark in the Premier League since earning an immediate promotion back to the big time, and a two-week break between the visits of Manchester City and Aston Villa proved largely meaningless.
Due to the major development of Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road, Burnley had 16 days to recuperate for a showdown with Unai Emery’s Villa last weekend, but a brace from Matty Cash and strike from new signing Moussa Diaby rendered Lyle Foster’s 47th-minute response inconsequential.
Already occupying a place in the drop zone – albeit having played a game fewer than all of the teams around besides fellow pointless promotees Luton – Burnley at least managed to boost morale by defeating Nottingham Forest 1-0 in their EFL Cup second-round battle in midweek, although they left it late to advance through a Zeki Amdouni winner.
A meeting with League Two giant killers Salford City – who sent Leeds United packing on penalties – will soon await Burnley, whose number one priority is to snap a six-game winless run in the Premier League stretching all the way back to April 2022.
Things hardly get easier for Burnley following the international break either, as the Clarets must test their mettle against Manchester United and Newcastle United before the end of the month, and Tottenham travel to Turf Moor with more than one point to prove.
Rival fans had a field day during Spurs’ EFL Cup second-round encounter with Fulham on Tuesday night, as Postecoglou’s much-changed team went into the break facing a 1-0 deficit from Micky van de Ven’s own goal before a rare effort from Richarlison drew the Lilywhites level.
Penalties subsequently loomed, and while the Cottagers converted all five of their spot kicks, Davinson Sanchez was denied by Marek Rodak as Tottenham suffered the latest in a long line of early cup exits, closing off one avenue to an elusive major trophy in the process.
Postecoglou’s charges have little time to dwell on what could have been at Wembley in February, though, and nor should they, as the Australian’s goal-happy troops have already cemented a podium spot in the Premier League standings, occupying third place thanks to their successive wins over Manchester United and Bournemouth.
Goals either side of the break from James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski propelled Spurs to victory at the Vitality Stadium last weekend, thereby keeping up the visitors’ streak of scoring at least twice in all of their Premier League games with Postecoglou at the helm so far.
Now aiming to go four away games unbeaten for the first time since August 2022, Tottenham have fond memories from most of their recent showdowns with Burnley – winning four of the last five contests between the two sides – although their last trip to Turf Moor ended in a 1-0 loss, after which Antonio Conte memorably questioned his ability to get a tune out of his side.
Burnley may still be alive in the EFL Cup, but their slender success over Nottingham Forest came at quite the cost, as all of Vitinho, Aaron Ramsey and Hjalmar Ekdal were forced off injured before the hour mark.
Kompany fears that both Vitinho and Ekdal – who was carried off on a stretcher – sustained knee injuries, although the severity of their issues remains unclear, while Ramsey was able to limp off the field, but Burnley fans are also awaiting news of his diagnosis.
In addition to the newly-injured trio and suspended Anass Zaroury, Burnley will also cope without Michael Obafemi (hamstring) and Darko Churlinov (suspected blood poisoning), while Jordan Beyer completes the hosts’ lengthy list of absentees with a thigh problem, which should heal fully during the international break.
The Clarets concluded a late deal for Han-Noah Massengo before the transfer window closed on Friday, and the 22-year-old could be in line for his debut this weekend.
As well as a few battered egos, Tottenham also emerged from their loss to Fulham with a couple of fresh concerns to report, as Richarlison took a whack to the ankle and Giovani Lo Celso sustained a thigh injury, which has ruled him out of the trip to Turf Moor.
Nineteen-year-old Dane Scarlett is Postecoglou’s only other recognised striker, but Richarlison is expected to be passed fit for Saturday’s clash, which is more than can be said for Bryan Gil (groin), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), and Alfie Whiteman (ankle).
After making changes in abundance for the EFL Cup, Postecoglou will revert to type at Turf Moor, as Maddison rejoins the impressive Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma in a formidable midfield trio.
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Roberts, Al-Dakhil, O’Shea, Delcroix; Manuel, Berge, Cullen, Koleosho; Amdouni, Foster
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Maddison, Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
We say: Burnley 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Both Kompany and Postecoglou have earned and will continue to earn plaudits for their forward-thinking managerial styles, but few will expect the Burnley boss to outsmart his Australian counterpart on Saturday.
With a spate of fresh injuries to deal with, a ravaged Clarets team are destined to fall short against a fired-up Tottenham, who should not snap their streak of scoring at least two goals in every game under Postecoglou just yet.
