If ever there was a game billed as a six pointer then this is it as the Clarets face Wolves with the two sides seperated only by goal difference in the bottom four of the table.
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We won a good point in midweek in the home game against Stoke which ended a run of four consecutive defeats. That point lifted us above Hull into 18th place but now is the time to start looking for some wins and today is the first of two vital games.
Wolves are above us only on goal difference and next Saturday we travel to play Wigan who are one of the clubs who have pulled just a few points away.
Many are suggesting it is two from Wolves, Burnley and Hull to go down with crisis club Portsmouth but there are four other clubs still, as far as Sunderland on 30 points, who are certainly very much still in trouble.
In recent weeks teams have found that a couple of wins have lifted them away, even if it might be temporarily, and that's what we must be aiming for.
Our Opponents
Wolves, like Burnley, were promoted at the end of last season. Whilst we went up via the play offs they were champions with a total of 90 points, and that was fourteen points more than we accrued.
They, however, have had a difficult season. They did lift themselves as high as twelfth after the win against us at Molineux in December but a difficult run since has seen them, just as it has us, drop into the bottom part of the table.
Their most recent win came four days after our success against West Ham, a David Jones goal giving them a 1-0 win over Spurs to complete the double over the North London side. Since they have recorded three defeats, albeit two of them have come against Chelsea and Manchester United.
Click HERE to see all Wolves' results this season
Team News
Mick McCarthy has Stefan Maierhofer available again after injury and the big striker is expected to be named as one of the substitutes. As for the starting eleven, McCarthy is expected to name the side that lost to Manchester United last week.
That teams was: Marcus Hahnemann, Ronald Zubar, Stephen Ward, Adlene Guedioura, Jody Craddock, Christophe Berra, Kevin Foley, Karl Henry, Kevin Doyle, David Jones, Matt Jarvis. Subs: Wayne Hennessey, George Elokobi, Nenad Milijas, Michael Mancienne, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Andy Keogh, Sam Vokes.
Click HERE to see the full Wolves squad
There have been no new injuries reported in the Burnley camp. Chris McCann and Steven Caldwell both remain out of the reckoning but otherwise Brian Laws has a fully fit squad to select from.
The questions might centre on whether Stephen Jordan comes back in at left back for Danny Fox and whether Kevin McDonald gets a recall after dropping to the bench for the Stoke game on Wednesday. McDonald could well get the nod after impressing in the second half.
And of course, will Steven Fletcher be fit to return after missing two games with a broken bone in his hand.
The teams could be: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Leon Cort, Danny Fox, Martin Paterson, Graham Alexander, Kevin McDonald, Chris Eagles, David Nugent, Steven Thompson. Subs from: Nicky Weaver, Michael Duff, Stephen Jordan, David Edgar, Andre Bikey, Jack Cork, Robbie Blake, Wade Elliott. Plus Steven Fletcher if fit.
Last Time
Burnley were just out of that run of five successive defeats when Wolves travelled to Turf Moor last season, but we'd recovered with wins against Charlton and West Brom at home as well as a draw at Birmingham.
An early Chris McCann goal gave us the lead and ultimately the points in a fully deserved 1-0 win in what was an excellent game with both sides going for a win. Four points against the top two in successive games had won back the confidence and were results that set us up for the run to Wembley.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes (Kevin McDonald 69), Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Steven Thompson (Jay Rodriguez 90), Martin Paterson (Chris Eagles 83). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Joey Gudjonsson.
Wolves: Wayne Hennessey, Kevin Foley, Richard Stearman, Christophe Berra, Stephen Ward, Michael Kightly, Nigel Quashie (David Edwards 60), Karl Henry, Matt Jarvis, Sam Vokes (Chris Iwelumo 59), Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Subs not used: Shane Higgs, Neill Collins, Andy Keogh.
Our last top flight game against Wolves wasn't quite so successful. It came in November 1975. We were 3-0 down at half time to a Steve Kindon inspired Wolves but Ray Hankin pulled one back just after the start of the second half.
It was no revival and two further goals for the visitors gave them a 5-1 win.
The Burnley team was: Alan Stevenson, Mick Docherty, Keith Newton, Brian Flynn, Colin Waldron, Jim Thomson, Willie Morgan, Mike Summerbee, Ray Hankin (Frank Casper), Doug Collins, Leighton James.
Previous games against Wolves
Previous 20 Seasons | Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers | 1994/95 | 1 | h | 0-1 | 17,766 | . | | . | . | a | 0-2 | 25,703 | . | 2000/01 | 1 | a | 0-1 | 20,156 | . | | . | . | h | 1-2 | 15,483 | Branch | 2001/02 | 1 | a | 0-3 | 24,893 | . | | . | . | h | 2-3 | 21,823 | I Moore Johnson | 2002/03 | 1 | a | 0-3 | 25,031 | . | . | . | h | 2-1 | 18,641 | Taylor West | 2003/04 | LC | a | 0-2 | 18,548 | . | 2004/05 | C | h | 1-1 | 13,869 | Blake | . | LC | h | 1-1 | 5,013 | Blake - won 4-2 on penalties | . | C | a | 0-2 | 24,336 | . | 2005/06 | C | a | 1-0 | 21,747 | G O'Connor | | . | . | h | 0-1 | 11,056 | . | 2006/07 | C | h | 0-1 | 12,245 | . | . | . | a | 1-2 | 19,521 | McCann | 2007/08 | C | a | 3-2 | 20,763 | Blake Lafferty D Ward(og) | | . | . | h | 1-3 | 12,749 | Akinbiyi | 2008/09 | C | a | 0-2 | 23,711 | . | . | . | h | 1-0 | 13,515 | McCann | 2009/10 | PL | a | 0-2 | 27,410 | . |
Click HERE to see all our results against Wolves |
