Stoke City – Burnley

The division’s mid-table side will play confidently at their own stadium

Stoke City not so long ago spent ten seasons in the Premier League, during which the "Potters" were considered stable mid-table in the elite of English football and remembered for the game in the attack of the tall Crouch. Once in the Championship, Stoke City finished six years in a row from fourteenth to seventeenth place. The amazing stability of the Potters is clearly frustrating the club's management, which has appointed a third specialist as head coach since August 2022. Burnley last football year became the second bottom club of the Premier League, having lasted in the elite division for only one season. "Bordeaux" before the start of the current draw of the Championships was considered one of the favourites to return to the APL, so their being in the group of leaders of the standings is not particularly surprising. Bookmakers have identified the guests as favourites for the upcoming meeting, offering odds of 2.39 on their victory. Stoke City, as it seems, is not a serious opponent for clubs with high ambitions. However, the recent results of the "Potters" make us treat them adequately. Since the end of September, the team has lost only two away matches, in which it faced promotion contenders Sheffield United and Middlesbrough. The remaining nine Championship rounds brought Stoke City at least one point. An important characteristic of the Potters in the current season is home performance. In ten official matches of the championship and the English League Cup at their stadium Stoke City did not score only last round. On Tuesday, the Potters drew 0-0 with Preston at Stoke-on-Trent. Burnley, in turn, is the division leader in terms of goals conceded. According to the results of seventeen rounds "burgundy" scored only six goals. Not once the team has not conceded more than one goal, and in meetings with West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United, it kept the gate intact. Given that Burnley have four injured center-backs, it is unlikely that the team's current streak of four matches without conceding a goal can last long. Still, the players play two matches a week. We bet that Stoke City will score at their own stadium and will not lose.