2019-20 Premier League: Week Three – Wolves vs Burnley

Wolverhampton Wanderers look to continue their unbeaten start as they welcome Burnley to Molineux. 

Victory for Wolves will lift them into the top ten, whilst Burnley could enter the top four if they can take all three points coupled with a Super Sunday defeat for at least one of Manchester City or Tottenham. 

 

Team news

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Nuno Espirito Santo has a full Wolves squad at his disposal as Matt Doherty returns from illness, which sidelined him in their midweek Europa League win at Torino. 

Burnley have no fresh injury concerns as this game comes too soon for Danny Drinkwater and Robbie Brady, although they’re both expected to be fit enough to face Sunderland in midweek in the Carabao Cup. 

Steven Defour remains a long-term absentee with a calf injury. 

 

Form

Wolves are unbeaten in their seven matches across all competitions this season, but all five wins have come in Europa League qualifying whilst they have drawn their two league matches against Leicester and Manchester United. 

Burnley meanwhile have a win and defeat from their opening two league games, against Southampton and Arsenal respectively. 

 

Stat Attack

• Wolves are unbeaten in three of their last five meetings with Burnley (W1, D2, L2). 
• Only once in their last five meetings has the winning side won by a two goal margin or higher, Burnley emerging victorious in March with a 2-0 home win through goals from Conor Coady (own goal) and Dwight McNeil. 
• Wolves last went unbeaten in eight consecutive games across two competitions earlier this year between mid January – mid February in league and FA Cup (W5, D3)
• Burnley’s Nick Pope has made ten saves in two league games this season, having failed to feature in entirety of last season. 
• Wolves’ Rui Patricio is yet to make a sweeper clearance whereas Pope has already made three sweeper clearances for Burnley. 

 

Prediction

If Wolves had clung onto a 3-1 lead against Torino in midweek, I would make them favourites to win here but now I am expecting a slightly weaker starting eleven against a solid Burnley team. 

We should however see a hard fought battle between two sides who aren’t particularly known for possession based football so I am going for a tight draw here because Wolves’ bench should pull a point out of this if needed. 

Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Burnley

Result: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Burnley