da prosport bet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
da dobrowin： Crystal Palace travel to Turf Moor this Saturday to take on a Burnley side who are currently in fine form.
Sean Dyche’s side have won their last two games by a 3-0 margin, showcasing their goalscoring ability as well as their sturdiness at the back – the Clarets find themselves sat comfortably in seventh with 18 points from 13 games.
Three points and six places below them are the Eagles, who find themselves on a five-game winless run – having said that, the south Londoners have faced Manchester City, Arsenal, Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Roy Hodgson will be hoping to celebrate the end of that wretched run of fixtures with a good result against Burnley, although the Clarets have two players who Palace must keep tabs on…
Dwight McNeil
The 20-year-old – who previously spent time in Manchester United’s academy – has shone so far this season with his exquisite deliveries and tireless work rate.
McNeil already has a goal and four assists to his name – the third most in the Premier League behind Kevin De Bruyne and Andy Robertson – while also recording 2.1 dribbles per game and 1.3 key passes per game.
The Premier League’s official website highlighted his effectiveness from corner kicks back in June, pinpointing how Burnley had scored 16 goals from set-pieces with 15 of McNeil’s 21 deliveries from corners making it into the box successfully.
Coincidentally, Palace have recently conceded a few goals from corners – twice against Arsenal as well as for Leicester’s opening goal.
McNeil could well prove to be a thorn in their side this weekend because of the aforesaid.
Ashley Barnes
The former Brighton hitman – who almost netted against Palace back in the playoffs in 2013, but for Julian Speroni’s fingertips – has come into his own at Burnley in recent years.
After scoring nine Premier League goals in 2017/18 and then 12 last term, Barnes has already scored six times this season as he goes from strength to strength.
The 30-year-old – dubbed ‘king of the wind-ups by The Telegraph – has showcased his ability to be a nuisance for opponents by winning 3.4 aerial duels per game this term, while also drawing an eye-catching 2.3 fouls per game.
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Palace really need to keep their wits about them with these two roaming around at Turf Moor on Saturday.
In other news, find out which Crystal Palace transfer target would offer Hodgson an added goal threat from Andros Townsend’s position on the right wing…