Burnley vs. Arsenal
Venue: Turf Moor
Kick off: 3PM
The Premier League’s 2017-18 surprise package Burnley play host to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon and they head into the match level on points with the Gunners.
Sean Dyche’s Clarets lie in seventh in the table after an impressive start to the campaign, while the Gunners are one place above them on goal difference.
Last time out, goals from Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes helped Burnley to a 2-0 victory over Swansea City at Turf Moor, a result which saw them cling onto seventh place in the division.
The Clarets’ defence has been notoriously tough to unpick this season, with Dyche’s side having kept clean sheets in six of their last nine league matches, including the last three on the bounce.
However, they have also found goals difficult to come by at Turf Moor, a stadium which has seen seven goals in the six league matches it has hosted so far, fewer than any other ground in the Premier League this term.
Consistency has been the key to Dyche’s success this season, not just where the form guide is concerned, but also in terms of his team selection.
The 46-year-old coach has stuck to his guns more often than any other top-flight manager this campaign, making just nine changes to his starting XI and using a Premier League low of 17 players.
On the other hand, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has spent much of the early portion of the season under fire, with sections of the club’s support firm in their belief that it is time for a change of management.
The Frenchman, however, eased some of that pressure with a 2-0 victory over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Gunners’ most recent Premier League fixture.
Since then, Arsenal went down 1-0 to Bundesliga basement boys FC Koln in their Europa League fixture in Germany, but remain on course to top their group in the competition.
On the domestic front, the Gunners have been poor on the road, taking just four points from six matches. Only West Ham United, Everton and Crystal Palace have a poorer record than that.
Burnley possible XI: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward, Gudmundsson, Cork, Hendrick, Defour, Brady, Wood.
Arsenal possible XI: Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette.