Sean Dyche Burnley’s side will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Turf Moor this Saturday for their Premier League second-leg clash fixture after the international break.
Burnley have been performing beyond expectations this season and sit comfortably at 13th position in the league standing when many consider them for immediate relegation. Burnley’s manager Sean Dyche and his side have been excellent at home and have the 6th best home record in the league, having amassed brilliant 29 points from 14 games at the Turf Moor.
However, considering that the Clarets have not won a single game in their last 6 league matches, coming out on top against a dominant strong Spurs side will be extremely difficult. But they did manage to hold them to a 1-0 draw at the Turf Moor in January in their FA Cup third round clash. Burnley eventually lost the second-clash by a scoreline of 4-2 at the White Hart Lane, but this being a home game, will give them a little confidence.
Here are 3 analyzed talking points that could help the Clarets frustrate Tottenham this Saturday.
Lay Dele Alli Under Pressure
In Kane’s absence, the Spurs will look to Dele Alli to provide them with threat up front. The 20-year-old has been in superb form this season and has bagged a brilliant 18 goals across all competitions, 14 of which have come in the league.
He will be the key man for Spurs this weekend against the Clarets. However, in the past, Alli has shown that he can lose his cool on the field when things don’t go his way. If Burnley manage to mark him tightly, intimidate him physically and commit a few fouls, which could get Alli frustrated and lead to a silly error from the Englishman as it was seen in Spurs’ Europa League exit against Gent. Burnley getting under Alli’s skin could definitely harm Tottenham at the Turf Moor.
Unleash Andre Gray on Eric Dier
Andre Gray has been an integral part for Sean Dych’s side over the past two seasons. Gray drove the Clarets to the EFL Championship last campaign and has been their top scorer in the Premier League this season as well, bagging 6 goals.
The Spurs may boast of best defensive record in the league this season, but they too have chinks in their armour. Their three-man defence that has worked perfectly for them but it has one weak-link in the form of Eric Dier. Dier has looked far from convincing playing in the back line for Spurs. But Burnley manage to get Gray up against Dier and hassle him in the final third, there could be a way around Hugo Lloris’ goal.
Stifle Heung-Min Son
The Clarets will be breathing a huge sigh of relief on knowing that their side will not be facing the terrific Harry Kane on Saturday. The 19-goal England international has been out of the team due to injury and won’t be available for quite a while, which is a serious blow for Tottenham.
However, in Heung-Min Son they do have a decent replacement to call upon. The South Korean may not be as prolific as Kane but has chipped in with important goals during the Englishman’s absence in the early part of the season. The 24-year old has managed to score 14 goals this season across all competitions and has shown that he can deliver the goods for the team when needed.
Son may not be Tottenham’s primary goal threat, but for Burnley to stand a chance of winning against them, the central defensive partnership of Michael Keane and Ben Mee will have to keep the South Korean international under check.