After a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal last weekend, Burnley are due to face another stern test when Wolves will host them at the Molineux Stadium later today.
The Clarets had started their season with a 3-0 win over Southampton and despite their loss at the hands of the Gunners in their previous outing, Burnley were fairly convincing at the Emirates Stadium.
Interestingly, the home team are in a similar scenario to the one their visitors were in last season, dealing with fatigue which is a result of the juggle between the Premier League and the Europa League.
Wolves have dealt fairly well till now but the job will only get more difficult as the minutes clock up.
Burnley Team News
Danny Drinkwater played ninety minutes in a behind closed door game against Fylde earlier this week but he will not be available for selection this weekend as he is still in the process of regaining full fitness.
Robbie Brady picked up a rib injury earlier this summer, which got worse in the friendly game against Nice. Although the winger is back in training, he is unlikely to feature this month for his side.
Meanwhile, Steven Defour is also out of contention. The midfielder has struggled due to injuries throughout this year and although he is back in training, he is still a few months away from being completely fit.
Predicted Burnley Lineup vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2)
Defence
Nick Pope is set to start between the sticks once again in the upcoming league outing. The custodian has been decent under the bar but will be desperate to get his first clean sheet of the season.
James Tarkowski and Ben Mee will start in central defence. And given the pedigree of Wolves’ attackers, they could be in for a tricky 90 minutes.
Erik Pieters could get the nod to start at left-back despite Charlie Taylor being back in contention, while Matthew Lowton should keep his place on the opposite side. Lowton has been impressive so far, having mustered 2 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game on an average.
Midfield
A lot could rely on how Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood fare together in the central midfield which is one of the stronger points of their opponents’. The duo has to be industrious in the middle of the park and shield their backline effectively.
Dwight McNeil could get an extended run down the left in the absence of Brady. Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who has inked 3 key passes per game on an average, might be handed yet another start.
Attack
Ashley Barnes has been prolific so far, having scored 3 goals in 2 league outings, and he is expected to start alongside Chris Wood with the duo looking to unsettle the 3-man backline of the hosts.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
