Sean Dyche in confident mood
Burnley have Sean Dyche in confident mood as his title chasers host Leicester in a top of the table Championship clash on Saturday.
The Foxes are the current league leaders with 82 points but a win would see Burnley draw level, although Dyche’s side have played one game more.
The Clarets are seeking to extend a 16-game unbeaten, while Leicester are seeking to get back to winning ways after successive draws against Blackburn and Yeovil.
“There’s a lot of work to be done. We have to refocus quickly, recover well and then get back on it,” he told Burnley’s official website.
“The next focus for me is Saturday; it’s as simple as that. “The aim for us now is to play well and look to get points on the board.
“I’ve looked forward to every game this season; it’s the way that I believe in managing. “At the moment we are full of confidence, full of belief and full of energy so of course we are looking forward to it.”
The Clarets are 19/10 to come out on top on Saturday and 4/1 to win the Championship outright.
The Clarets are in a rich vein of form and are the only side unbeaten at home in the Championship this season. Sean Dyche has moulded an athletic and incredibly well-organised side who are simply too effective at what they do.
They get the ball forward with the minimum of fuss to their dangerous strikers – for most sides in this division. The ankle injury which has sidelined 25-goal striker Danny Ings for the foreseeable future may not be as much an issue as feared.
Replacement Ashley Barnes, marking his start at Charlton with the opening goal in the 3-0 win there last Saturday. Dyche’s side have played one more game than their rivals but victory here by two or more would see them go top for the first time since Boxing Day.
Right-back Kieran Trippier, who has caught the eye this season with his surges forward, is set to miss out again through injury but in-form Junior Stanislas should keep his place in the starting XI.
Nigel Pearson’s side saw the lead over their hosts cut to three points when they needed a dramatic late equaliser by goalkeeper Kasparov Schmeichel to scramble a point at home to lowly Yeovil on Tuesday.
They are some 13 points clear of third spot so with little chance of that gap being bridged the Foxes ought to be able play their last 10 games with freedom.
However, the nervy midweek performance at the Kingpower Stadium suggests that the pressure to repay owner Vichai Raksriaksorn’s heavy investment with nothing less than the title may already be beginning to show.
Away from home they have won 11 times and been beaten just four. They are unbeaten in the league since the first week in December when they lost at both Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton within the space of four days.
Some 3,000 travelling fans will make the trip to Lancashire so the Foxes won’t be short of support inside the ground. Lloyd Dyer is fit again but may have to settle for a spot on the bench, with Riyad Mahrez keeping his place on the left-wing.
Burnley who may be unfashionable and unflashy, are mighty effective at getting the job done, especially at Turf Moor. The match is likely to be close as these two sides have proved themselves consistently the best outfits in the division this season.
The Clarets can be backed at a juicy 3.0, although you could take the added insurance and back them in the Draw No Bet market at a still better than evens 2.1.
Sam Vokes has 20 goals to his name this season, including penalties in each of the last two games. The way his side play means they get the ball into the opposition’s box as quickly as possible, which does lead to spot kick opportunities.
He netted a pen in Tuesday’s win over Doncaster so maybe it’s worth backing him to net at the best available price?
Suggested bets…
Back Burnley in the Draw No Bet market at 2.1
Back Sam Vokes to score anytime at 2.25
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