Clarets to relegate Fulham with three games left
The sole Monday Premier League features 17th versus 18th, but with a nine point gap separating Burnley and Fulham respectively. Only a win for the hosts in London will do, whereas a draw will simply prolong the agony for another week. Defeat is unthinkable for Scott Parker's men, as with it will come relegation back to the Championship. Both sides' form has been poor over the last six, with the Cottagers not showing the kind of resolve needed to beat the drop. Read our preview here:
The Loftus-Cheek of it
Parker will need every possible squad member he can muster to have any hope of a miraculous turnaround. With only Terence Kongolo and Tom Cairney out, he can welcome back midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek to the fold after the loanee had to sit the 2-0 defeat against his parent club Chelsea. Here, the onus will be on him to get up alongside, and sometimes beyond, sole striker Josh Maja, given that the home side cannot afford to play a patient style. Even were they to make up all the ground, goal difference could still be a crucial factor; at the time of writing, they are four worse off whilst having scored fewer overall. Ademola Lookman and Bobby Cordova-Reid will be tasked with pinning the full-backs in claret and blue all the way back to their own 18 yard-line, ensuring their dominance in possession. On paper, the Cottagers do have a number of difference makers, but a lack of overall consistency has hamstrung their efforts.
Wood for the trees
Sean Dyche will be sweating on the fitness of star Chris Wood for the vital away trip. The manager of the east Lancashire outfit has been witness to the New Zealand international reach double figures in the league during 2020/2021, which is no mean feat for a club far from renowned for prolific forwards or attacking football. His overall style has helped partner Matej Vydra get back into his groove too, and they are well backed by the wingers in the rigid 4-4-2 when given the licence to roam. Maja won't win the air war versus either Ben Mee or James Tarkowski, but does have the speed to outpace them on the ground. Look for the backline to compensate for that, whilst also pulling back Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood to make up the numerical disadvantage in central areas.
Parker penned
A draw in the capital will almost certainly be sufficient for Burnley to survive and start implementing their summer plans for wise, prudent investment in the squad to defend their top tier status into 2022. Their naturally defensive style could serve to frustrate Fulham mightily, especially bearing in mind that their adversaries rarely trouble the net more than once. Therefore, bet365's long odds of 3.40 look particularly tasty for the neutral punter.
