Two sides who were separated by just a point last campaign, Burnley and Southampton, face off on Saturday at Turf Moor, as the curtain is finally raised on the new Premier League season.
The game represents a clash of footballing philosophies, as the expansive, pressing style of Ralph
Where to Watch
| When is Kick Off? | Saturday 10 August |
| What Time is Kick Off? | 15:00 (BST) |
| Where is it Played? | Turf Moor |
| TV Channel/Live Stream | Gillette Soccer Special |
| Referee? | Graham Scott |
Team News
The Clarets will be without classy central midfielder Steven Defour, due to a calf injury that he sustained all the way back in January. The Belgian has taken part in pre-season training but remains some way off returning to the first team fold, according to Sean Dyche.
The Belgian has been plagued by injuries since signing for Burnley洛 #twitterclarets https://t.co/9yoVTXA2Ht
— Charlotte Coates (@CharCoatesLT) July 29, 2019
Ben Gibson, Nick Pope and Robbie Brady are also all at risk of missing out through various ailments. However, all three played in the Clarets' pre-season win over Parma on Saturday, perhaps proving their fitness to Dyche in the process.
James Tarkowski missed that game due to thigh issue, as speculation over his long-term future at the club continues to circulate.
Southampton on the other hand, have a relatively clean bill of health. Only long-term absentee Sam McQueen will be missing from their squad at Turf Moor.
Predicted Lineups
| Burnley | Pope; Lowton, Gibson, Mee, Taylor; Lennon, Hendrick, Cork, Brady; Rodriguez, Wood |
| Southampton | Gunn; Valery, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse; Redmond, Ings, Adams |
Head to Head Record
Burnley and Southampton have met on 58 occasions previously, and there is very little to call between the two sides' records.
The Clarets have won on 21 occasions, whilst the Saints have won 20, with 17 of the contests ending in a draw.
Last season, the two sides could not be separated in either of their meetings in the league. They first played out a goalless draw on the opening day of the 2018/2019 campaign, a sure fire way to start off the year being shown last on Match of the Day, whilst the return fixture in February was a similarly drab 1:1 draw.
Recent Form
Both teams have been in exceptional form during pre-season, with Burnley being defeated only once, and the Saints managed to remain unbeaten.
Southampton have avoided such defeats, picking up victories against Guangzhou R&F, Preston
| Burnley | Southampton |
| Burnley 2-0 Parma (3/8) | Southampton 2-0 FC Köln (3/8) |
| Burnley 6-1 OGC Nice (30/7) | Feyenoord 1-3 Southampton (28/7) |
| Wigan Athletic 2-2 Burnley (27/7) | Guangzhou R&F 0-4 Southampton (23/7) |
| Fleetwood 0-2 Burnley (23/7) | Preston 1-3 Southampton (20/07) |
| Crewe 1-0 Burnley (20/07) | Altach 1-1 Southampton (14/7) |
Prediction
Both sides had disappointing campaigns last time out and will be desperate to get off to a strong start to this coming season.
The uncertainty surrounding James Tarkowski's future at Turf Moor could very well unsettle the Burnley camp, and allow Southampton's exciting front three to wreak havoc on the Clarets defence.
The first goal will be crucial in what is bound to be a tight game, but it is one that Southampton could just shade.
Source : 90min
