Premier League: Flying Chelsea Head North

Burnley vs Chelsea

From Amsterdam to Burnley in one week. Does it get any better?!

Well the way Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are playing at the moment it doesn’t really matter where they are, their fans are just loving it. The Blues are on a run of six consecutive victories, in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and conceding just three.

So heading to Turf Moor for a Premier League clash on Saturday shouldn’t hold too much fear for the West Londoners, though Lampard will know what to expect. As SBOBET Premier League fans know, Burnley is not a team which has any respect for reputation, and as Chelsea discovered last season in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, the Clarets will play how they want, not how their opponents want them to.

Six wins is a great achievement, but with three at home to Grimsby, Brighton and Newcastle, and two away to Southampton and Lille, this week’s forays to the Netherlands and East Lancashire have presented a rather stiffer challenge for Chelsea.

The Burnley vs Chelsea betting odds say Lampard’s young guns are up to it.

Talking Points

Chelsea on the crest of a wave

The Blues fully deserved their 0-1 win against Ajax, and Lampard also deserves his share of the credit, making an inspired double substitution on 70 minutes. He brought on Michy Batshuayi and Christian Pulisic, and they transformed the tie. Pulisic was sensational with his electrifying runs and delivery of dangerous balls into the box, and he set up the winner for Batshuayi, who was a threat from the moment he stepped onto the pitch.

Those two players having such an impact was great news for Lampard, as three of his other young players have dominated the Premier League 2019 news. Striker Tammy Abraham is joint top of the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals while attacking midfielder Mason Mount has weighed in with four.

Meanwhile centre back Fikayo Tomori has already had England recognition and, of course, this exciting young set of players is led by the excellent Cesar Azpilicueta, who has just made his 350^th appearance for the Blues.

Nick Pope has been in fine form for Burnley, with three clean sheets at Turf Moor this Premier League season — Burnley’s Nick Pope during a match

Burnley’s terrifying twosome

In the current trend of ‘tippy tappy’ football, central defenders are primed to stop small skilful strikers cutting through the tiniest gap. So when they face two big, hard lads who are ready to scrap and each with a fierce shot on him, it can make for an uncomfortable afternoon.

Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood both reached double figures in the Premier League last term and are sure to do so again. After Barnes got off to a storming start with four goals in four games, Chris Wood has now matched him, scoring a quickfire brace in a recent home win against Norwich City. The supply comes from Burnley’s wide men, young England U-21 winger Dwight McNeill and Ireland star Robbie Brady.

Head coach Sean Dyche builds his Burnley side on a solid foundation, and while the Clarets have their fair share of attacking talent, its defence is one of the best in the division. Ben Mee and James Tarkowski have a fine understanding at centre back, while wing backs Charlie Taylor and Matt Lowton are exciting players going forward.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope has made the position his own after the departure of Tom Heaton to Aston Villa, and he’s pushing Jordan Pickford for the role of England’s first choice keeper. He kept a clean sheet against Everton recently when Pickford was powerless to prevent the Clarets from scoring, prompting a chant of ‘England’s Number One’ from the Turf Moor fans.

Burnley have been in good form at home, winning three of their four games at Turf Moor, Pope keeping three clean sheets.

History

Chelsea have won six of the 11 meetings over the last decade, with Burnley winning two and there have been three draws. Turf Moor has been a happy hunting ground for the Blues, winning there 0-4 last season and 1-2 in the 2017/18 campaign, while the Clarets have thrived in London, drawing 2-2 last season and winning 2-3 on the opening day of the 2017 season.

The Blues have won the last five on the road, while defeat to Leicester last time out, thanks to a bizarre VAR decision cancelling out a Wood goal, was Burnley’s first loss in five, and they will be keen to avoid back-to-back defeats this weekend.

Betting Tip

	Burnley vs Chelsea	2-3 goals @ 2.04
	October 27, 00:30 (GMT+8)

Burnley are at 4.40 to win, with the draw at 3.60 and the Blues at 1.78 to come away with a seventh consecutive win, in all competitions.

I think Lampard’s young players might just edge it, but it will be a tough examination against Burnley’s combination of defensive steel and attacking threat.

The most likely scoreline is a 1-1 draw at 7.00, though a 1-2 Chelsea win at 7.20 will be popular with London punters.