Burnley host Sheffield United at Turf Moor in a crunch Easter Monday showdown in 2022-23 Sky Bet Championship.
With promotion now already wrapped up, Burnley can move 14 points clear of the Blades with a win and move closer towards wrapping up the title.
Sheffield Utd meanwhile could extend their lead over the chasing pack by as much as 11 points with victory, if Luton and Middlesbrough both fail to win elsewhere in earlier kick-offs.
Team News
Lyle Foster could return for Burnley after he missed their last two matches for personal reasons, including Good Friday’s promotion clinching victory at Middlesbrough.
Jay Rodriguez (fitness) is unlikely to be available for selection but Taylor Harwood-Bellis could return after he was rested on Teesside, having recently returned from a foot injury.
Sheffield Utd could welcome Enda Stevens back after the defender missed several games in recent months with a hamstring injury.
Jack O’Connell (fitness), Daniel Jebbison (foot), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Ben Osborn and Rhian Brewster (all hamstring) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Burnley host Sheffield Utd at Turf Moor in a 8pm BST kick-off on Easter Monday 10 April, live on Sky Sports in UK.
Stat Attack
- Burnley have won just one of their last five league meetings against Sheffield Utd (W1, D1, L3).
- Sheffield Utd are winless in four of their last six league visits to Burnley (W2, D1, L3).
- Burnley have scored in each of their last nine matches at home to Sheffield Utd in all competitions (W4, D3, L2).
- Despite not losing at home in 20 matches at Turf Moor in the Championship this season (W14, D6), Burnley have kept just 10 clean sheets.
- Five of James McAtee’s six league goals for Sheffield Utd were scored after the World Cup break, of which four of those five goals were scored away from Bramall Lane.
Prediction
With promotion now officially confirmed, it is easy to argue that the pressure is off Burnley but surpassing 100 points is still achievable – given that the Clarets have a maximum of 21 points available from seven games left this season.
Should they indeed win all seven fixtures then they would break Reading’s record haul of 106 points set in 2005-06 season, which is something that I do expect them to try and target in order to avoid a late-season switch off as they now prepare for top-flight football next season.
Sheffield Utd though have delivered scrappy wins in their last two games whilst their rivals have slipped up but after wasting numerous chances against Wigan, Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades simply must perform better in their end product if want a result here.
Burnley’s home crowd at Turf Moor though will be expecting a strong homecoming display to celebrate their promotion, which could only encourage the players to go and get a result but I do expect this to be tightly fought between the top two teams.
Prediction: Burnley 2-1 Sheffield United
Result: Burnley 2-0 Sheffield United
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