Burnley vs Bournemouth preview, predictions & confirmed line-ups
Eddie Howe goes back to his former club on Saturday as Bournemouth face a tough test against Burnley at Turf Moor.
The Cherries are anything but safe yet, sitting just two points above the relegation zone going into the weekend.
Meanwhile, Burnley have steered clear of danger in recent weeks and could even find themselves in the top half by simply drawing.
Read on for our preview, predictions, team news, possible XIs and more.
When is Burnley vs Bournemouth and where can I watch live?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Turf Moor
Date: Saturday, 22 February 2020
Kick-off: 3:00 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): N/A
Last five meetings: Burnley vs Brighton
21 Dec 2019: Bournemouth 0-1 Burnley (Premier League)
6 Apr 2019: Bournemouth 1-3 Burnley (Premier League)
22 Sep 2018: Burnley 4-0 Bournemouth (Premier League)
13 May 2018: Burnley 1-2 Bournemouth (Premier League)
19 Nov 2017: Bournemouth 1-2 Burnley (Premier League)
Aggregate Score: Burnley (WWWLW) 11-4 Bournemouth (LLLWL)
Ones to watch
Burnley: Jay Rodriguez
Bournemouth will rightly identify Matej Vydra as a key threat after the striker scored his first goal of the season last weekend, but in doing so they might end up ignoring Jay Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has stepped up and contributed four league goals this season and he will be keen to cement a place in the team during the absence of Barnes and Woods.
Key stat: Only Chris Wood (23) has registered more shots on target for Burnley in the Premier League this season than Jay Rodriguez (13).
Bournemouth: Diego Rico
Burnley are likely to make it difficult for Bournemouth to play through the middle, so the Cherries may have to make use of the flanks – that means the visiting full-backs could play a key role at Turf Moor.
Diego Rico, in particular, will look to bomb forward and make things happen in the final third, but he will also have to stay alert at the back. Thankfully, he is a master of the interception.
The question is: can Rico remain defensively resolute while also giving Bournemouth an attacking outlet?
Key stat: Diego Rico has made more interceptions than any other Premier League player this season (62).
Confirmed Burnley line-up
TEAM NEWS: Here's how the Clarets line-up for today's @premierleague game v @afcbournemouth .
One change, as striker Matej Vydra starts his first league game since November 2018, for the injured Chris Wood. pic.twitter.com/rx0fT8oLsM
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) February 22, 2020
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Confirmed Bournemouth line-up
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
🔺 Joshua King returns to the starting XI
🔺 Jack Stacey makes his first start since December
🔺 Minor injuries to Ake (head) and Lerma (back) keep them outFollow the blog 💻 https://t.co/F60mWsfNOE#afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/GKsbl9RBbj
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) February 22, 2020
Squawka prediction
Bournemouth will be scrapping for points from now until the end of the season, while Burnley have recently given themselves some breathing space in the relegation scrap.
And while that means Eddie Howe’s men might be more desperate for the win, Burnley have home advantage and the better form. With that in mind, the hosts might edge this one.
