Burnley – Newcastle United

The home team will put on a decent performance against the favorites in the matchup.

Last season Burnley spent in the Championship and finished it triumphantly. The Clarets' late surge allowed them to overtake Sheffield United and finish in the direct promotion places back to the top flight. In addition, they dazzled all of European football with their phenomenal defensive play, which became the foundation of the team's success. In the current season Burnley have not performed as brightly, underscoring once again the large difference in quality between the Championship and the star Premier League. The defense in the top division hasn't been going well for the Clarets, as reflected in the average goals conceded per game creeping toward two. The newcomer to the division sits second-to-last in the table, ahead only of the very weak Wolverhampton. Newcastle United this season are representing England in the Champions League, which was the result of finishing fifth in the table last season. In turn, such a result for the Magpies became possible due to their absence from European competitions last season and the opportunity to concentrate on the league. Now that luxury is denied to them, which is reflected in their positions. Newcastle occupies thirteenth place in the division, which does not reflect its true ambitions. Bookmakers have identified the visitors as favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.66 on their victory. Burnley have not won a single Premier League match in the last two months. Seven of the nine rounds ended in defeats for the Clarets, and another two were draws. At the same time, one can't say that Burnley isn’t trying, since none of the defeats during that period were by a margin of three goals or more. Moreover, the Clarets' form has shown a positive trend, as draws have come in the matches of the last week and a half. In the first leg, Newcastle beat Burnley 2-1, after playing half the match with a man advantage. In the last round the Magpies visited Manchester, where they lost to United 0-1. Interestingly, the above-mentioned win over Burnley was the only one in Newcastle's five previous league matches. Do not expect a convincing victory from the visitors — their current form raises questions.