Premier League: Fulham Will Lower the Boom on Burnley Even Without Their Star

Fulham vs Burnley

Fulham saw their winning streak end last time out, but they can quickly get back on their feet when they host Burnley at Craven Cottage for their next Premier League match this Saturday.

Just as it seemed that the floodgates had finally opened for the Cottagers after recording two straight 5-0 wins against Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, they were given a dose of their own medicine by Newcastle United, whom they lost 3-0 last weekend.

As a result, they remain out of the top 10, with 21 points for 11^th place.

Meanwhile, Burnley are stuck in the relegation zone because they are in 19^th place. And unfortunately for them, their poor run of Premier League 2023 results continued since they’ve only won once in their last five.

Talking Points

No Jimenez and Ream for Fulham

Fulham suffered their eighth Premier League loss this season against Newcastle United because they were reduced to 10 men early, as Raul Jimenez was sent off following his reckless tackle on Sean Longstaff during the 22^nd minute.

Yes, the red card was deserved, but head coach Marco Silva was angrier with the fact that Jamaal Lascelles was not punished for an elbow on Jimenez before the Mexican striker was booked.

Because of this, Jimenez is out for Fulham’s next three Premier League games, including Burnley this weekend.

Rodrigo Muniz started in Jimenez’s place during Fulham’s win against Everton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals last night but was eventually subbed off in favour of Carlos Vinicius.

So, it’s likely that Carlos Vinicius will start against the Clarets, and he’ll link up with the likes of Willian, Harry Wilson, and Alex Iwobi up front.

In other team news, Fulham will continue to miss their captain Tim Ream since he is still dealing with a calf injury, while Adama Traore is also out due to a hamstring injury.

With Ream sidelined, Tosin Adarabioyo will remain in the starting lineup to join Calvin Bassey at centre-half.

Foster and Trafford can give Burnley a fighting chance

Last month, Lyle Foster decided to take an indefinite break from football to take care of his mental health, which is why fans were caught off guard when he came off the bench against Everton, his first appearance in 10 weeks.

Burnley were better on the attack when Foster was subbed in, but the 23-year-old couldn’t finish one of the team’s rare shots on target.

Foster is leading Burnley in the scoring charts this season with three goals, which is why team boss Vincent Kompany isn’t keen on letting him play for South Africa in the upcoming AFCON next year, although his hands are tied.

Another player to watch out for if you’re Fulham is James Trafford, who is hailed as the next No. 1 goalie for the English national team. The 21-year-old was particularly spectacular in Burnley’s 1-1 draw against Brighton earlier this month, when he had a 91-per cent save rate and recorded 10 saves to give the Clarets a point.

History

This season, Fulham have won their last three Premier League home games against newly promoted sides, as they managed to defeat Luton Town 1-0 last September and Sheffield United 3-1 last October.

The Cottagers also managed to win their first two Premier League home games against Burnley in 2009-10 and 2018-19 but lost at home against the Clarets last time out in 2020-21 (2-0). However, since that win, Burnley haven’t won in their last eight Premier League games in London (D4, L4).

Burnley have won eight of their last 13 games against Fulham across all competitions (D3, L2), including their last two at Craven Cottage. If the Clarets win again this weekend, it’ll be the first time ever that they’ve won three straight away games against the Cottagers.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League 2023 odds have the hosts winning at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Fulham are at 1.66 odds, whereas Burnley are the underdogs at 4.55, and a draw is pegged at 3.59 in the 1X2 market.

Based on their most recent meetings, Total Goals 2-3 at 1.92 seems like a plausible alternative bet, and that may be enough to get the job done for Fulham since they have the weapons to beat Burnley, even without Raul Jimenez. However, there is a possibility that this will be a low-scoring affair. And if you fancy the chances of that happening, then why not go for either Total Goal 0-1 at 3.52 or Under 2.25 at 2.35?

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.