Burnley vs Fulham Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Two Premier League sides languishing in the bottom half and eager to return to winning ways will clash at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon, as relegation-threatened Burnley host Fulham.

This will be the first meeting between the Clarets and the Cottagers since February 2024, when David Datro Fofana scored twice in the second half to rescue a 2-2 draw for Burnley.

Burnley have endured a torrid run since their 3-2 victory over bottom club Wolves at the end of October, losing each of their last six Premier League fixtures. The last time the Clarets suffered a longer losing streak in league play was back in January and February 1995 in the second tier (eight straight defeats), while in the top flight, they haven’t lost more than six in a row since March to September 1895 (eight consecutive losses).

Last weekend, Burnley played over 45 minutes with ten men in a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United, marking their 11th loss in 15 league games this season. They currently sit 19th in the table, five points from safety. After conceding just 16 goals in 46 Championship matches last season—a record low—Burnley have already allowed 30 goals in just 15 Premier League games this term. This represents the fourth-largest increase in goals conceded per game (up 1.65) between successive seasons in the top four tiers of English football, and the biggest since Sheffield United’s jump of 1.89 per game from 2022-23 to 2023-24.

Manager Scott Parker is under increasing pressure, having lost 22 of his last 29 Premier League matches as a manager. Burnley’s current six-game losing streak is his second such run, the first coming during his time at Fulham between May 2019 and October 2020. Among Premier League managers with 50+ games, only Daniel Farke has a higher loss percentage (67%) than Parker (61%—41 losses in 67 games).

Despite recent struggles, Burnley fans can take solace in their remarkable record against Fulham at Turf Moor, where they are unbeaten in their last 29 home league encounters with the Cottagers—their longest such run against any opponent.

Fulham, meanwhile, ended November with their first away league win of the season at Tottenham, but have since started December with back-to-back home defeats to Manchester City and Crystal Palace. Their 2-1 loss to Palace last weekend, sealed by an 87th-minute goal, leaves them 15th in the table, only four points clear of the relegation zone. Uncertainty over head coach Marco Silva’s future has also begun to resurface.

The Cottagers have lost eight of their 15 league games this season and in three of the previous four campaigns where they suffered at least eight defeats at this stage, they were relegated (2013-14, 2018-19, and 2020-21). The exception was 2004-05, when they finished 13th despite nine losses at this point.

Fulham head to Turf Moor seeking their first away league win at Burnley since April 1951 and hoping to end a five-match winless run against the Clarets in the Premier League, dating back to a 4-2 home victory in August 2018. However, they can draw confidence from their recent record against promoted teams, as they are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches versus such sides, winning each of the last four. Another victory would see them achieve five consecutive top-flight wins against promoted teams for the first time in their history.

Burnley will continue to be without Zeki Amdouni (knee), Jordan Beyer (hamstring), Connor Roberts (Achilles), and Bashir Humphreys (muscle), who are all sidelined through injury. This weekend’s match is also expected to come too soon for Axel Tuanzebe, who remains unavailable with an unspecified issue.

Hannibal Mejbri is serving the second match of his four-game suspension for a spitting incident in October, while Lucas Pires will miss out after receiving a red card against Newcastle. Kyle Walker is also suspended after accumulating his fifth yellow card of the season at St James’ Park. As a result, Oliver Sonne could be in line for a rare start at right-back, with Quilindschy Hartman likely to fill in for Pires on the left.

Zian Flemming, who has yet to score in six Premier League home games but has netted five times in six away matches—a joint record for most goals scored away without finding the net at home, alongside Alan Cork and Mike Milligan—will be pushing to start up front ahead of Lyle Foster this Saturday.

For Fulham, Marco Silva has confirmed that Ryan Sessegnon remains sidelined with a minor thigh problem and will not be available, joining Rodrigo Muniz (thigh) in the treatment room. Antonee Robinson, out since September with a knee injury, is making good progress and has returned to training, but Silva will make a late decision on his inclusion. A starting place appears unlikely, so Timothy Castagne is expected to continue at left-back.

Nigerian trio Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze are all available for one final match before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. Bassey and Iwobi are set to continue at centre-back and in midfield respectively, while Chukwueze will hope to keep his spot on the left wing.

In-form Harry Wilson, who has contributed to a goal in each of his last three Premier League appearances (two goals, one assist), is expected to retain his place on the right flank, meaning Kevin and Adama Traore may once again have to settle for spots on the bench.

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