Beware the “C” word…

Of course, it’s not like Pep to allow and complacency to creep in but even he couldn’t hide his child-like, excited grin in the post-match interview on Sky Sports following our tense but well-deserved victory in Trafford last Saturday. 

 

Avoid that ‘kind of thing now’ seeping into our players’ mindset and that’ll set us in ‘good stead’ to face our Lancashire neighbours on Sunday.

v Burnley

Turf Moor

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

___________________Aguero_____________________

Sane____________________________________Sterling

__________D. Silva_____________B. Silva___________

____________________Foden______________________

Zinchenko_________________________________Walker

____________Laporte___________Stones____________

____________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Jesus.

Ed in net.

Almost the same back-4 that triumphed in midweek – Oleksandr on the left, Kyle on the right and I would suggest that we’ll see John join Aymeric.

With doubts over the ‘usual deep-midfield suspects’, I think we’ll see ‘an across five’ of Leroy, David, Phil, Bernardo & Raheem; with Phil being the ‘deeper workhorse’ in that quintet.

Serg ahead of those.

Aro the reserve ‘stopper’; Danilo & Vinny the back-up defensive players. Although there are some doubts about both of these, I think Ilkay & Fernandinho might make ‘the 7’ with Riyad & Gabriel the more attacking options from the side.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Not selected.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Not selected / still might not be ‘quite right’ / still dunno.

-       Nicholas Otamendi – Not selected (might be wrong here – might be there instead of Vinny).

-       Fabian Delph – Not selected.

-       Kevin De Bruyne – Being assessed; might be closer to a return than most of us may have first feared but definitely not ready for this encounter.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Have no concerns there…

Result? Well, firstly, our hosts position. Are they mathematically safe? No, they’re not. However, it would take them to lose all of their remaining games and, Cardiff City at least, to not-only win all of their matches but to overturn a 17-goal difference at least in that short time. Basically…their safe for another season.

However, again, I can see the motivating, determined Sean Dyche telling his battle-hardened players something like this in their pre-match preparations:

Did you see ‘that lot’ (us of course) celebrating after their win last Wednesday as though they’ve already won the league meaning, of course, they think they’re gonna beat you this afternoon? Well…go ‘n’ show ‘em otherwise!

(Update at 5:45pm on 27.04.2019: Burnley are now offically safe).

Basically, if you’ve not already guessed what I’m alluding to, turn up with the wrong attitude in this fixture - or our next 2 games for that matter - and we will have ‘blown it’; undoing all of our hard work.

And there’s the key - hard work again is needed!

So, what do I think? I think it’ll be a tough game; perhaps a ropey start also with a scare or two but over the 90+, we’ll come out of it with a win.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: Win

Result: Draw (they took points off us in our last visit!)

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a somewhat stormy weekend in the North West…calm. Bit of a North Westly breeze; dry and even the sun should make an appearance as we kick off (2:05pm BST). 12C is the high.