Burnley FC
Fulham FC
Fulham FC
Rearranged clash between Burnley and Fulham sees both aiming to avoid relegation
Burnley 1-1 Fulham
Burnley and Fulham both come into this game off the back of important victories, crucial for their ambitions this season.
For the home side, they are aiming to put as much distance between themselves and the bottom three as possible, having flirted with danger for much of the season. They’re now eight points clear.
It was, in fact, their best performance of the season so far, thrashing a below par Crystal Palace side and winning by a three goal margin for the first time this season.
Fulham did their survival hopes no harm by collecting three points, perhaps surprisingly, against a fatigued Everton side. They’re now seven points off Newcastle in 17th and a win here would really boost their hopes.
A draw is little good for The Cottagers, however – even with Newcastle’s poor form, they can ill afford to waste any time in catching up.
Form Guide (all comps): LLDLW
Reasons to be cheerful:
Huge win at the weekend increases buffer to danger zone
Opportunity to pick up points here and next against West Brom
Reasons to be fearful:
Have struggled for consistency all season
Four of their five wins this season have been followed by defeats
Just as Burnley appear to be slipping back towards the bottom three, where they’ve spent eight weeks so far this season, they pull a massive result out the bag to keep their heads above the sand.
That 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend was a huge tonic to Burnley supporters, who have been kept on the edge all season with their uncharacteristic defensive weaknesses leading to a less than satisfactory league position.
It’ll give them a great deal of confidence going into this one and with another relegation favourite, West Brom, up next, it provides the perfect opportunity to cement their place in the division for next season.
Goals are proving slightly easier to come by recently, with seven from their last six after only netting 12 from their previous 16 games.
It’ll be a tight game here, though.
Star Man – Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson
The Icelander has two goals in his last two league appearances for The Clarets.
Form Guide (all comps): DDLDW
Reasons to be cheerful
Huge win at the weekend brings them closer to safety
Are looking the most likely of the bottom three to survive
Reasons to be fearful
Burnley will prove tough to break down
Haven’t beaten Burnley away since 1951 (30 meetings)
Fulham finally secured their third win of the season, a full 12 games after their last back in November.
Despite their failings to win matches, they’ve remarkably managed to stay on the coattails of the teams above them. Seven points adrift of Newcastle is not such a large gap when you consider just how poor the Magpies’ form is right now.
These are three massive games for Fulham before the end of the month. Burnley are followed by bottom club Sheffield United and then Crystal Palace who are also struggling right now. If they can pick up points here, it’ll give them a huge chance for the rest of the season.
Against Burnley, The Cottagers will find it tough, however. They’ve not secured an away win at Turf Moor for nearly 70 years and with Burnley themselves looking to avoid relegation, it’ll be a tight game.
Star Man – Josh Maja
Scored both goals on his full debut against Everton at the weekend to earn Fulham their first win in 12.
A tight game of few chances
Both defences to frustrate their opponents’ attackers
Burnley slight favourites based on form
Burnley have the chance to open up an 11-point gap between them and the bottom three with a win here, but know they must play a lot better going forward than they have for much of the season.
Fulham can take a huge step towards survival with three points, and would take themselves to within four points of Newcastle with victory.
With such a tight game, can either side take three points?
Burnley 1-1 Fulham
