Preview: Burnley vs. Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

Vincent Kompany's side conceded a disappointing, last-gasp equaliser at managerless Cardiff City on Saturday, while the Potters suffered a damaging 4-0 defeat at home to Watford.

Match preview

The end of Sean Dyche's 10-year tenure at Burnley has seen wholesale changes since the club's return to the Championship, with up to 12 first-team players leaving the side over the summer.

Only the second non-British manager in the club's history, the arrival of Kompany has seen five new signings from the Jupiler Pro League, and three arrivals from the manager's former club Manchester City, with the Belgian sticking to what he knows best as he heads up an important rebuild at the Lancashire club.

The new-look squad have made a solid start to life in the second tier, sitting in fourth place, five points off the automatic promotion spots. They are also undefeated in their last eight Championship outings, losing just once so far this campaign, but have drawn six times, conceding 98th and 91st-minute equalisers along the way.

Former West Bromwich Albion striker Callum Robinson was the man to deny them their latest three points, scoring his first Cardiff City goal on the weekend to cancel out Nathan Tella's instinctive, poked finish.

Burnley have won their last two at Turf Moor, however, with Jay Rodriguez scoring in both, and are one of three teams yet to lose at home. Three points will be expected here.

The visitors have conducted their own managerial movements this campaign, as former Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill made way for Scotsman Alex Neil at the end of August, amidst a controversial switch from fellow Championship side Sunderland.

With five points from his opening five games, and overseeing Stoke's heaviest home defeat since Alvaro Morata scored a hat-trick at the bet365 stadium for Chelsea in 2017 on the weekend, it has not been the best start for the former Black Cats boss.

Conceding three times in 20 minutes to Slaven Bilic's Watford, Neil described the second-half performance as "not reflective of any team (he has) ever had", highlighting the tasks ahead as he prepares his squad for a trip to take on a second promotion candidate in succession.

With a few noticeably poor individual performances on the weekend, it will be interesting to see how the new manager attempts to switch things up ahead of a daunting trip up north.

Burnley Championship form:

W

W

D

D

W

D

Stoke City Championship form:

W

D

L

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D

L

Team News

The hosts should still be without Scott Twine for the visit of Stoke, as the former MK Dons midfielder continues to work on an injury that has kept him out since the opening day.

Having signed for the Clarets after 20 goals and 13 assists last season in League One, many fans will be awaiting news of his return with bated breath.

Charlie Taylor made his comeback to the squad against Cardiff, but Darko Churlinov and Kevin Long will continue on the sidelines, alongside Ashley Westwood, after his severe ankle injury last season.

Ian Maatsen should continue at left-back, with six of Burnley's last 11 games featuring a goal or an assist from one of their full-backs. The 20-year-old Dutchman has two assists in his last two Championship games.

For the visitors, striker Jacob Brown was absent for that 4-0 defeat to Watford, and should miss out again here with a quadricep injury. That means that on-loan Manchester City striker Liam Delap should continue up front, despite not having scored in seven Stoke City appearances.

Midfielder Sam Clucas will also miss out again, due to a hamstring injury, while defender Harry Souttar continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament tear.

Captain Lewis Baker has been the star performer this campaign, with four goals to his name so far, and will be hoping that Jordan Thompson can join him in the engine room, after he suffered a blow to the head on international duty.

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Muric; Maatsen, Taylor, Harwood-Bellis, Roberts; Cork, Cullen; Tella, Brownhill, Benson; Rodriguez

Stoke City possible starting lineup:

Bursik; Fox, Flint, Taylor; Fosu-Henry, Thompson, Smallbone, Baker, Wilmot; Delap, Gayle

We say: Burnley 3-1 Stoke City

Flying full-backs and a firing front line, a return to Turf Moor should help Burnley to recover from another last-minute equaliser conceded on the weekend.

Against a Stoke City side who were in disarray on Saturday, we expect the Clarets to get the job done reasonably comfortably.

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