Alright, let’s get a win, friends.
Whom:
Burnley vs. Southampton
What:
EPL match number nine.
Where:
Southampton
When:
10:00 AM EDT
How to Watch:
Peacock Premium (Boo!!)
What’s at Stake:
Relegation implications.
Per FiveThirtyEight, Burnley’s 41% likely to be relegated, entering the weekend 18th in the table, three points behind the safe zone. Southampton’s only four points ahead of the Clarets, but they’re in 15th, and they’re just 17% likely to be relegated. A win for either side would move the needle a bit. A draw would hold things fairly steady.
The Odds:
I’m seeing Southampton at +100 to win, Burnley at +285, and a draw at +245, implying Burnley’s got a little better than a 50% shot of getting at least a point.
Burnley Squad:
Ben Mee, Matěj Vydra, and Charlie Taylor are all questionable. Dale Stephens is out but at least back to practicing.
The Opponent:
Southampton’s in Hampshire, down on the country’s south coast. They finished 15th in the table last year, 11th the season prior, 16th the year before that…they’re very Burnley-like in their level of success, though this is now their tenth straight year in the EPL.
Other Burnley News:
Some fans were arrested in Manchester last weekend and evidently some threw around homophobic slurs, which sucks. In happier news, New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins is a Burnley investor and made his first trip to Turf Moor over the weekend during his bye week. Are we going to be best friends? I can only assume so, especially because of my love of the 2017-18 Philadelphia Eagles.
Burnley FC Women:
Play at Wolverhampton on Sunday. Tough one. Wolverhampton’s at the top of the table.
Partner Clubs:
Ayr United (Scotland, second tier), much like Burnley, has an investigation going after fans chanted that they hoped last week’s opponent’s captain would die in his sleep (*makes note to never chant that I hope anybody dies in their sleep*). They visit Arbroath tomorrow, trying to stay atop the bottom half of the table.
Portadown (Northern Ireland, first tier) visits Glentoran F.C. tomorrow, trying to stay off the league floor.
Cobh Ramblers (Ireland, second tier) are idle. They finish their season next Friday.
Llandudno (Wales, second tier) hosts Buckley Town, trying to climb into second in their table. They’re our best promotion bet, but they’ve got some work to do. Portadown’s a relegation threat. Cobh Ramblers plays in a relegation-less spot, thankfully. Ayr United’s not safe from relegation.
BERTIE NEWS CRAP I ALMOST FORGOT TO CHECK FOR BERTIE NEWS:
Nothing.
