Burnley vs Liverpool
Turf Moor sets the stage for a lopsided Premier League encounter between relegation-battling Burnley and title hopefuls Liverpool.
Burnley’s road to recovery following a dreadful Premier League start could’ve begun last weekend as they defeated Fulham 2-0 on the road to arrest a three-game winless run (D1, L2) and move within three points of safety. After spending Christmas stranded in the relegation zone, the ‘Clarets’ will be out to post back-to-back top-flight wins for the first time since 2022. However, Turf Moor hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Burnley as they’ve suffered a staggering ten defeats in their last 11 top-flight matches here (W1). Burnley manager Vincent Kompany knows in-depth about beating Liverpool as a player and will be looking to instill that mentality on Boxing Day as his men seek only their third H2H win in 17 games against the ‘Reds’ (D2, L12).
Burnley’s disappointing seven-game run in Premier League Boxing Day fixtures (W1, D1, L5) bodes well for Liverpool’s bid to end a two-game winless league streak (D2) and tighten their grip on table-topping Arsenal. Jurgen Klopp’s men wasted a decent chance to leapfrog the ‘Gunners’ at the summit, drawing 1-1 at home last weekend. While the ‘Reds’ hoped for a better outcome, they at least maintained their impressive Premier League unbeaten ratio this season (94% – W11, D6, L1). Moreover, they’ve enjoyed a significant upturn in away form in the build-up to this trip, going from four straight top-flight travels without winning (D3, L1) to back-to-back victories. Both those triumphs came against sides from the bottom half of the table, increasing the likelihood of another success at Turf Moor.