Many had written off Burnley’s survival chances, but Vincent Kompany’s men have given themselves a fighting chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship following a positive run of form since the middle of March.
The Clarets have only lost one of their last eight Premier League games and have picked up 11 points in that period, most recently following up a 4-1 victory at Sheffield United with a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend.
United were on course to claim maximum points after Antony pounced on a loose ball to fire the hosts in front 11 minutes from time, but substitute Zeki Amdouni salvaged a respectable draw for Burnley by converting an 87th-minute penalty.
At the beginning of March, Kompany’s side were bottom of the Premier League table and 10 points from safety, but they now sit 19th and only two points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who are hovering just above the dotted line with only three games left to play – Forest are still awaiting the verdict of an appeal for a points deduction over breaching financial rules.
No top-flight team have collected fewer points on home soil than Burnley (10, along with Sheffield United) so far this season, but seven of those points have been picked up since the turn of the year. That upturn in form at Turf Moor bodes well ahead of Saturday’s clash with Newcastle, whom they will look to beat for the first time in a league fixture since December 2019 when they secured a 1-0 home victory.
Newcastle are on course to secure at least a top-seven finish this season after accumulating 13 points across their last six Premier League matches, including three wins in their final four matches of April.
The Magpies recovered from a sluggish start to thrash Sheffield United 5-1 at St James’ Park last weekend, with in-form striker Alexander Isak netting either side of half time to increase his goal tally for the season to 23 in all competitions; Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson were also on target for the hosts.
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Eddie Howe’s side may not be fighting for Champions League football this term, but they are still in the mix to qualify for next season’s Europa League as they sit seventh in the Premier League table and only one point behind sixth-placed Man United, who will welcome the Magpies to Old Trafford on May 15.
Newcastle have picked up 53 points in the Premier League thus far, but only 14 of those have come away from home; the Magpies are ranked 15th in the table for away results this season having lost 10 of their 16 games on the road, including eight defeats in their last 11.
The Black and Whites have won their last two visits to Turf Moor, though, and have won each of their last five league meetings with Burnley; Newcastle are looking to win six in a row against the same opponent for just a second time since registering six successive victories against Tottenham Hotspur between 2006 and 2008.
