Preview: Burnley vs. Crawley Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Both teams fell to heavy defeats at the weekend and are experiencing significantly different Football League campaigns so far.

Match preview

Burnley were brought crashing back down to earth on Saturday as they were beaten 5-2 by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

The Clarets had taken the lead twice in the first half when Manuel Benson scored either side of Iliman Ndiaye's equaliser.

However, the stunning second-half capitulation from Burnley was completed by strikes from Jack Robinson, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Oli McBurnie's double which handed the league leaders their second defeat of the season.

Vincent Kompany was open with his disappointment after the game and will want his charges to send a message to Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers with a big win ahead of their derby game next weekend.

Saturday's defeat showed that they are still missing a focal point when Jay Rodriguez is not available and, at the other end, they have struggled to deal with crosses into the box.

Benson's performance was the only positive to take from the defeat to the Blades, pleasing Burnley fans who had only seen the young Belgian as an impact substitute before.

From the top end of the Championship to the bottom end of League Two, it has not been a memorable campaign for Crawley so far.

A heavy defeat in the first round of the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley was hardly ideal preparation for the upcoming game against the high-flying Clarets.

Shaun Whalley gave the visitors a first-minute lead before Jake Hessenthaler equalised with 18 minutes on the clock.

Whalley restored Stanley's advantage soon after and Ethan Hamilton added a third on the stroke of half time, before the former Shrewsbury Town man completed his hat-trick just after the break to give John Coleman's Accrington a 4-1 victory.

Crawley had been on an improved run of form before the cup dismantling, going four games without defeat including two wins across that time.

They have only picked up three wins all season in League Two - just Gillingham and the bottom two sides of Hartlepool United and Colchester United have won fewer games.

After beating Premier League Fulham earlier in the competition, Town should still have some belief that they can pull off an upset despite Saturday's confidence-shattering result.

Burnley EFL Cup form:

W

Burnley form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

L

Crawley Town EFL Cup form:

W

W

Crawley Town form (all competitions):

W

W

W

D

D

L

Team News

Burnley will likely keep Rodriguez on the sidelines after he missed the Sheffield United defeat as a precaution.

Kompany could be expected to make wholesale changes to get minutes into the legs of those who have not played much football this term.

Matt Lowton, CJ Egan-Riley and Luke McNally could all come into the back four, Halil Dervisoglu could start up front and Bailey Peacock-Farrell could replace Arijanet Muric in goal.

Crawley should not make as many changes as their hosts, but could revert to the lineup from their last league game - a draw with Bradford City.

That would mean that Ludwig Francillette, Mazeed Ogungbo, Nick Tsaroulla and James Tilley could all come back into the starting 11.

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Peacock-Farrell; Lowton, Egan-Riley, McNally, Taylor; Bastien, Brownhill; Gudmundsson, Dervisoglu, Zaroury; Barnes

Crawley Town possible starting lineup:

Balcombe; Francomb, Francillette, Craig, Ogungbo; Tilley, Hessenthaler, Powell, Tsaroulla; Nichols, Nadesan

We say: Burnley 3-0 Crawley Town

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