Premier League: Must-Win Test for Stuttering Clarets

Burnley vs Fulham

Their return to the Premier League had come with a cautious welcome. Sure, the Clarets had done well and were only narrowly pipped to the Championship title last term, finishing on a whopping 100 points and missing out on the number one spot on goal difference.

Yet despite this, Scott Parker’s team were not considered quite as strong as that created by former boss Vincent Kompany when he guided them to the second-tier title in 2023 (on 101 points). They were runaway champions on that occasion but still struggled the following season and went straight back down.

Early Premier League 2025 highlights at home to fellow newly promoted club Sunderland this term led to increased optimism.

Since then, though, their only victories have come at home to the other promoted team, Leeds, and away to a Wolves side who seem destined for the drop already. In fact, after edging out Wolves in late October, they have lost six on the spin and slipped into the bottom three, five points from safety.

The upshot is you don’t need this SBOTOP scribe to point out how important this weekend’s clash at home to Fulham is.

 

Talking Point

At Newcastle last time out, it took just 15 minutes for Burnley to unravel. They had held the Tynesiders until the half-hour mark only to concede twice and be reduced to 10 men in the run-up to halftime. The fact they only lost 2-1 is to their credit, but it has reached the stage where spirited displays need to be turned into points.

In most games this season, with the exception of their opening day defeat to Spurs and Manchester City away, Burnley have been involved in close contests but the results have rarely gone their way.

That comes down to two key areas: only Wolves have conceded more goals in the Premier League this season than the Clarets (30), who have also only netted two in their past four matches.

They will be without defender Lucas Pires this weekend following his dismissal against the Geordies, but I do expect a start for Zian Flemming (a player who has caught the eye of my SBOTOP colleague) who, as a substitute, won and scored the late penalty which reduced the arrears in that game.

As for Fulham, who had been pretty shot-shy until recent weeks, 15^th place gives them a little wriggle room, but they are only four points from the drop zone themselves, and a late home defeat against Crystal Palace on Sunday was a second narrow loss in a week.

They’ve not had the rub of the green at times and deserve more respect than they universally receive.

They should keep on picking up key points, just as they did with a 2-1 win at Spurs 12 days ago, but defeat in Lancashire would have the potential to leave them closer to the bottom three than manager Marco Silva would like.

It’s the Clarets versus the Cottagers.

 

History

I admit to being surprised when I saw how many times these two proud English clubs have locked horns. It all started in Division Two in October 1907 when Fulham won 1-0 in the north west.

All of their initial meetings either came in the second tier of English football or the FA Cup, and they didn’t meet in the top flight until 1949 when, at Craven Cottage, the hosts won by a solitary goal. Both clubs were struggling in the early 1980s and even met in Division Three for two seasons on the bounce.

It wasn’t until 2009 that they first clashed in the top-flight, a 1-1 Premier League draw at Turf Moor when Bobby Zamora’s opener was quickly cancelled out by Wade Elliott for the home side. Fulham won the return 3-0, courtesy of goals from Danny Murphy, David Elm, and Zamora.

They have never met in the top tier in successive seasons, and their most recent meetings came two seasons ago. Then, second-half goals from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge sealed a 2-0 Clarets win in west London.

The return in Lancashire finished 2-2 as David Datro Fofana, on loan from Chelsea, scored twice in the final 19 minutes on his debut to rescue a point for the home side after early goals for the Cottagers from Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz.

Overall, Fulham have 31 wins, Burnley have 49 successes, and there have been 21 draws.

 

Betting Tip

Fulham have the edge with our Premier League 2025 betting odds and are clear favourites, priced 1X2 @ 1.98 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.28. It’s very different for Burnley, who are on offer 1X2 @ 3.54 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.21.

A re-run of their most recent meeting, this corresponding fixture two seasons ago, will pay out @ 17.00 with Correct Score 2-2. Total Goals 0-1 @ 2.86, 4-6 @ 3.64, and Over 2.75 @ 2.38 have caught my eye more than Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.97.

I am plumping for honours even, though.

   

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