Manchester United vs Burnley
This fixture is between two of the great clubs of English football.
The global institution that are Manchester United and the proud founder members of the English Football League, the Lancastrian club which gave us their Academy and a pioneering figure in former chairman Bob Lord.
Football games between these two are always ones for the traditionalists and that they meet on Boxing Day – another English football tradition – is most fitting.
Of course, betting odds will favour the hosts who have much greater resources at their disposal.
Still, sports betting fans know that the resilience and spirit Burnley have shown under manager Sean Dyche have been mightily impressive. So impressive the Clarets travel to Old Trafford in seventh place in the table.
Indeed, their discipline and organisation at times have seen fans label Dyche as the ‘Ginger Mourinho’, the man he faces in the opposite dugout.
A low scoring affair could be expected, given the fact that Burnley have the third best defensive record away from home this season (nine goals shipped) – only runaway leaders Man City (five) and Chelsea (seven) have conceded fewer on their travels.
Both sides suffered injuries in the build-up with two Chrises – Chris Smalling for United and Chris Wood for Clarets – both in doubt after sustaining knocks at the weekend.
Despite a one-way traffic in which they faced 38 shots, Burnley frustrated United at Old Trafford in a goalless draw last season. Whether they can repeat that without suspended defender James Tarkowski is another matter.
United last lost to Burnley at home in 1962 but the Clarets have drawn five times at the Theatre of Dreams.
Will Christmas dreams come true for one of these clubs or is this destined to be another draw?
It’s a clash of the city slickers versus the town folk, yet in many aspects, they share the same principles.
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