MX23RW : Sunday, December 29 03:39:26| >> :120:18743:18743:
[monks data]
Southampton logo
Premier League
Mar 21, 2015 at 3pm UK
 
Burnley logo

2-0

Long (37'), Shackell (58' og.)
FT(HT: 1-0)

Preview: Southampton vs. Burnley

Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Southampton and Burnley at St Mary's Stadium as the Clarets aim to build on their scalp of Manchester City.

Burnley will be hoping to aid their relegation fight with another top-six scalp when they visit Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Clarets gave their survival hopes an unexpected boost while denting Manchester City's title tilt with a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor last weekend.

George Boyd's sumptuous left-footed volley found a way past Joe Hart, no easy feat this week, to secure Sean Dyche's side their first win in eight matches.

The three points lifted Burnley to within one of safety and they now appear the most likely of the promoted teams to retain their top-flight status this season.

Southampton ensured that City's defeat did not prove doubly costly as they held league leaders Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday lunchtime.

Although the Saints have been overtaken by in-form heavyweights Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, they remain in the top-four mix.

Sixth in the table and six points off the final Champions League place they may be, but Ronald Koeman's side finish what would regardless be an excellent season with six games out of nine against bottom-half opposition.

The Dutchman could name an unchanged team, persisting with Shane Long up front rather than Graziano Pelle, who is without a league goal in 2015, after the Irishman's industrious performance upon his recall.

Filip Djuricic and James Ward-Prowse are both pushing for starts in the positions behind Long, but the pace of Sadio Mane and Dusan Tadic's streakily-converted penalty against the Blues should see them retained.

Eljero Elia, Emmanuel Mayuka and Jay Rodriguez, who scored 41 goals in 129 games for the Clarets before leaving for St Mary's Stadium in 2012, are all out through injury.

Burnley's new goalscoring hero Danny Ings missed out on a place in the England squad on Thursday, but strike partner Sam Vokes was recalled by Wales after making his first league start of the campaign versus City.

Last season's prolific pairing are expected to continue in attack for the visitors, with Ashley Barnes being accommodated on the left flank. Michael Duff's clean sheet will see him keep Michael Keane on the bench.

Both Matt Taylor, who has been out since September with an Achilles problem, and new signing Fredrik Ulvestad completed 90 minutes for the club's development side in midweek and may soon be in first-team contention.

Burnley have not won any of their last eight away games, but did win December's reverse fixture 1-0.

Southampton:

Form in Premier League: WDLLWD

Possible starting lineup: Forster; Clyne, Alderweireld, Fonte, Bertrand; Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Davis; Mane, Tadic, Long

Burnley:

Form in Premier League: DLDLLW

Possible starting lineup: Heaton; Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee; Boyd, Arfield, Jones, Barnes; Vokes, Ings

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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Joe Fish
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