Match Preview: Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur












Turf Moor, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, Lancashire (Capacity: 22,546)
Sunday 9th May 2010, Kick Off 16:00
Premier League, Final Match 38











































































Burnley: 19th in Premier League (Relegated), 27 points from 111
Tottenham Hotspur: 4th in Premier League (Champions League), 70 points from 111

Referee: Mike Dean
Assistant referees: Andy Garratt  & Andy Halliday
Fourth official: Nigel Miller


COMMENT:

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Turf Moore on Sunday for the final match of the 2009-10 Premier League season with the fate of both clubs already settled. Burnley are doomed to relegation and although they performed well enough at home, it was their away form which ultimately sealed their fate, with just four points amassed in their travels this season. Spurs, on the other hand, have enjoyed a quite remarkable first full season under manager Harry Redknapp and have already qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League by finishing at worst in fourth place. A win at Burnley, coupled with a defeat for Arsenal at home to UEFA Europa League finalists Fulham would leapfrog Spurs into third place at the expense of their close rivals.

Robbie Keane, now on loan at Celtic, enjoyed the reverse fixture earlier this season, netting four goals against Burnley with Jermaine Jenas also scoring in a 5-0 win at White Hart Lane for Tottenham. This was the first League meeting between the two clubs since season 1977-78, although they did meet in Domestic cup competitions several times, most recently in a memorable Football League (Carling) Cup Semi-Final over two legs in January 2009 with Spurs winning 6-4 on aggregate.

Last time out, Burnley lost away to Birmingham City 1-2 with Steven Thompson scoring a late consolation goal while Tottenham had a fantastic 1-0 win at fourth place rivals Manchester City at Eastlands on Wednesday night in a match billed as the Champions League Play-Off. Peter Crouch headed the vital goal for Spurs after some great work by stand-in right-back Younes Kaboul. That goal by Crouch was his 27th headed goal scored in the Premier League - he's scored more headers than any other current player.

Spurs are already five points better-off than their previous Premier League record points haul of 65, set during season 2005-06, and a win at Burnley would put them on 73 for the season. They are also the League's most in-form side, having won 9 of the last 11 Premier League matches.

TEAM NEWS:

Heurelho Gomes is the main Spurs doubt ahead of our season's finale at Burnley on Sunday. The goalkeeper shrugged off a thigh problem in time to play a key role in our Champions League-clinching win against City on Wednesday night. Gomes made two fine saves with the scoreline goalless in the first half but was clearly struggling again after the 1-0 win at Eastlands. "He has a thigh strain but if he's okay, he'll play," reported boss Harry Redknapp this morning (Friday, May 7). "We'll have to wait and see." The manager admitted it looks unlikely that Ledley King will play a third game in a week at Turf Moor on Sunday. Ledley was outstanding in the wins against Bolton and City. "It's been fantastic to get two games out of him this week, but I don't know if he'll be fit for Sunday," added Harry.
Vedran Corluka (ankle) remains out alongside longer-term injuries Niko Kranjcar (ankle), Carlo Cudicini (pelvis, wrist) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin).

Burnley should have a full strength squad available with Clarke Carlisle & Chris McCann both returning from their respective injuries.

HARRY ON THIRD PLACE:

Harry Redknapp admits it would be a 'miracle' but insists we'll give everything to try and finish third in the Premier League on Sunday.
We secured fourth place and Champions League football next season by beating Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday night. Those three points also took us to within striking distance of Arsenal in third. The Gunners are two points ahead of us so the simple scenario for the final day of the season is that we need to beat Burnley at Turf Moor and hope Fulham topple Arsenal at the Emirates. It's a big ask of Fulham though as they also have to consider the final of the Europa League against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. If the results go our way, a third-place finish will mean we go straight into the group stages of the Champions League rather than face a play-off.

"We're delighted to finish fourth," said Harry. "Third has been mentioned, but we'll take fourth. We'll give it our best shot but it will be difficult. It will be difficult for Fulham to get a result at Arsenal, they have the Europa League Final and Roy has to do what he feels is best for his club. If the miracle happens it will be even better but it's a long shot."

MATCH FACTS:

Head-to-head

• There have been five goals scored in each of the last three meetings between Burnley and Tottenham in all competitions.
• The overall league record between the two sides is: 41 wins for Tottenham, 39 wins for Burnley and 24 draws.
• Burnley beat Tottenham on their last league visit to Turf Moor when both clubs were in Division Two in 1978.

Burnley

• Players from just four nationalities (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland & Cameroon) have scored for Burnley this season, fewer than at any other club in the Premier League.
• The Clarets have scored just 10 goals from set-pieces all season, the lowest in the top flight.
• If Burnley lose it will be their 25th defeat of the season - only six teams in a 20-team Premier League division have ever recorded more than that.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Tottenham have already secured a place in the top four for the first time since 1989/90; a season that they finished third, a point ahead of Arsenal.
• 21 wins is the most the club has achieved in Premier League history and equal to the 21 they won in the 1986-87 season. A win over Burnley would be their best since the 1984/85 campaign.
• A total of 19 different players have scored in the Premier League for Spurs this season; more than any other team in any other previous season.
• Another clean sheet would set another club record in the Premier League. If they did keep a clean sheet, their tally of 37 goals conceeded would be the fewest they have let in since the 1970/71 campaign, when they let in only 33.
• The 70 points they have already won is also a club record in the Premier League and their best since they won 71 in the 1986/87 campaign. Another win would see Spurs claim their best points tally since 1984/85 (77).

LAST MATCH LINE-UPS:

Burnley (L 1-2 Birmingham City A)

Jensen, Alexander (McDonald 86), Caldwell, Mears, Cort, Fox, Cork, Elliott, Fletcher (Thompson 68), Paterson, Nugent (Blake 65)

Substitutes: Weaver, Duff, Bikey, Rodriguez
  
Yellow Card: Fox

Goal: Thompson 87

Tottenham Hotspur (W 1-0 Manchester City A)

Gomes, Kaboul, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Bentley 71), Huddlestone, Modric (Palacios 88), Bale, Defoe (Pavlyuchenko 81), Crouch

Substitutes: Alnwick, Bassong, Jenas, Gudjohnsen

Yellow Cards: Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone

Goal: Crouch 82

MARK LAWRENSON'S PREDICTION:

Well done to Tottenham for bagging fourth. They fully deserve it. They may even get third, although I do not see them finishing above Arsenal. Whatever happens, they will go to Turf Moor on a high and I expect them to win. With such a strong squad now, Harry Redknapp can change his team around and still put out a decent side.

Prediction: Burnley 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
  
PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

Sunday afternoon's match will be the 106th meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.
The two clubs contested the 1962 FA Cup Final which Spurs won 3-1.
Here are the results of the previous 105 matches with Spurs' score shown first:

07-Dec-1903Friendly - H W 4 - 0 Warner, Badger (2), Cameron
13-Jan-06F.A. Cup 1 20,000H W 2 - 0 Woodward, Kyle
12-Dec-08Division 2 10,000H W 4 - 2 Minter, Woodward (2), Steel R
20-Feb-09F.A. Cup 3 21,838H D 0 - 0  
24-Feb-09F.A. Cup 3 Replay30,000A L 1 - 3 Coquet (pen)
17-Apr-09Division 2 8,000A W 2 - 1 Woodward (2)
18-Oct-13Division 1 22,000A L 1 - 3 Cantrell
21-Feb-14Division 1 15,000H W 2 - 0 Walden (pen), Bliss
19-Sep-14Division 1 25,000H L 1 - 3 Bliss
23-Jan-15Division 1 4,000A L 1 - 3 Cantrell
23-Oct-20Division 1 39,661H L 1 - 2 Banks
30-Oct-20Division 1 40,000A L 0 - 2  
16-May-21Charity Shield 18,000H W 2 - 0 Cantrell, Bliss
19-Nov-21Division 1 45,000H D 1 - 1 Seed
26-Nov-21Division 1 25,000A L 0 - 1  
09-Sep-22Division 1 39,434H L 1 - 3 Cantrell
16-Sep-22Division 1 20,000A W 1 - 0 Bliss
26-Apr-24Division 1 50,000A D 2 - 2 Elkes, Hargreaves
03-May-24Division 1 20,000H W 1 - 0 Elkes
11-Oct-24Division 1 23,508H D 1 - 1 Handley
14-Feb-25Division 1 18,000A W 4 - 1 Clay (pen), Thompson, Seed, Lane
12-Dec-25Division 1 18,592A W 2 - 1 Osborne, Dimmock
24-Apr-26Division 1 21,211H L 0 - 2  
20-Nov-26Division 1 17,957A L 0 - 5  
09-Apr-27Division 1 15,481H W 4 - 1 O'Callaghan, Sanders (2), Dimmock
03-Dec-27Division 1 20,404H W 5 - 0 Handley, O'Callaghan, Osborne (2), Dimmock
14-Apr-28Division 1 10,906A D 2 - 2 Osborne, Dimmock
01-Sep-30Division 2 23,518H W 8 - 1 Davies, O'Callaghan (2), Harper (2), Cook (3)
02-May-31Division 2 10,077A L 0 - 1  
10-Oct-31Division 2 28,877H D 1 - 1 Harper
20-Feb-32Division 2 7,517A L 0 - 2  
15-Oct-32Division 2 26,097H W 4 - 1 Howe, Hunt GS, Greenfield, Evans W
14-Apr-33Division 2 11,353A D 1 - 1 Hunt GS
12-Oct-35Division 2 34,483H W 5 - 1 Howe, Morrison (2), Hall GW, Evans W
20-Apr-36Division 2 8,567A D 0 - 0  
10-Oct-36Division 2 20,447A L 1 - 3 Morrison
13-Feb-37Division 2 30,283H W 3 - 0 McCormick, Morrison, Miller
30-Aug-37Division 2 13,766H W 4 - 0 Ward (pen), Morrison (3)
06-Sep-37Division 2 11,187A L 1 - 2 Miller
26-Dec-38Division 2 15,629A L 0 - 1  
27-Dec-38Division 2 30,276H W 1 - 0 Duncan
05-Oct-46Division 2 44,351H D 1 - 1 Medley
18-Feb-47Division 2 28,462A D 0 - 0  
07-Oct-50Division 1 46,518H W 1 - 0 Medley
24-Feb-51Division 1 33,047A L 0 - 2  
03-Sep-51Division 1 27,045A D 1 - 1 Bennett
10-Sep-51Division 1 35,948H D 1 - 1 Ramsey (pen)
27-Sep-52Division 1 43,031H W 2 - 1 Duquemin, Medley
17-Feb-53Division 1 13,771A L 2 - 3 Baily, Duquemin
07-Sep-53Division 1 34,280A L 2 - 4 Walters, Robb
16-Sep-53Division 1 30,472H L 2 - 3 Duquemin (2)
27-Nov-54Division 1 21,973A W 2 - 1 Gavin, Baily
16-Apr-55Division 1 23,555H L 0 - 3  
20-Aug-55Division 1 33,178H L 0 - 1  
17-Dec-55Division 1 20,346A L 0 - 2  
27-Oct-56Division 1 49,154H W 2 - 0 Medwin, Harmer (pen)
29-Apr-57Division 1 12,048A L 0 - 1  
07-Sep-57Division 1 40,108H W 3 - 1 Dunmore (2), Dulin
11-Jan-58Division 1 25,927A L 0 - 2  
13-Dec-58Division 1 17,047A L 1 - 3 Stokes
08-Apr-59Division 1 32,296H D 2 - 2 Smith R (2)
03-Oct-59Division 1 42,717H D 1 - 1 Medwin
01-Mar-60Division 1 32,992A L 0 - 2  
03-Dec-60Division 1 58,737H D 4 - 4 Norman, Mackay, Jones (2)
18-Mar-61F.A. Cup SF 69,968VP W 3 - 0 Jones, Smith R (2)
22-Apr-61Division 1 28,991A L 2 - 4 Baker, Smith R
28-Oct-61Division 1 56,772H W 4 - 2 Jones (2), Saul, Clayton
17-Mar-62Division 1 46,810A D 2 - 2 Greaves, Jones
05-May-62F.A. Cup Final 100,000F W 3 - 1 Blanchflower (pen), Smith R, Greaves
24-Nov-62Division 1 44,478A L 1 - 2 Greaves
16-Jan-63F.A. Cup 3 32,756H L 0 - 3  
30-Mar-63Division 1 46,536H D 1 - 1 Greaves
16-Nov-63Division 1 42,222H W 3 - 2 Norman, Smith R (2)
21-Apr-64Division 1 16,660A L 2 - 7 Jones, Greaves
25-Aug-64Division 1 21,661A D 2 - 2 Greaves, Saul
02-Sep-64Division 1 42,326H W 4 - 1 Saul (3), Dyson
04-Dec-65Division 1 19,509A D 1 - 1 Clayton
12-Feb-66F.A. Cup 4 50,611H W 4 - 3 Gilzean (3), Saul
30-Apr-66Division 1 29,337H L 0 - 1  
17-Sep-66Division 1 25,184A D 2 - 2 Greaves, Saul
21-Jan-67Division 1 42,187H W 2 - 0 Greaves, Jones
02-Sep-67Division 1 23,337A L 1 - 5 Greaves
30-Mar-68Division 1 26,494H W 5 - 0 England, Greaves (2), Venables, Jones
07-Sep-68Division 1 30,167H W 7 - 0 Jones (2), Robertson, Greaves (3, 1pen), Chivers
29-Mar-69Division 1 14,547A D 2 - 2 Johnson, Pearce
13-Aug-69Division 1 35,920H W 4 - 0 Collins, Pearce, Greaves, Chivers
19-Aug-69Division 1 19,485A W 2 - 0 Collins, Pearce
07-Nov-70Division 1 30,524H W 4 - 0 Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers (2)
20-Mar-71Division 1 16,376A D 0 - 0  
05-Sep-73Division 1 25,543H L 2 - 3 Knowles, Chivers
11-Sep-73Division 1 25,158A D 2 - 2 Holder, Peters
05-Oct-74Division 1 18,441H L 2 - 3 Pratt, England
12-Apr-75Division 1 17,865A L 2 - 3 Perryman, Duncan
29-Nov-75Division 1 21,222H W 2 - 1 Duncan (2)
20-Mar-76Division 1 15,490A W 2 - 1 Pratt, Duncan
05-Nov-77Division 2 30,634H W 3 - 0 Hoddle, McNab, Taylor
01-Apr-78Division 2 16,916A L 1 - 2 Taylor
19-Jan-83League Cup 5 30,771H L 1 - 4 Gibson
22-Sep-93League Cup 2 (1L) 16,844A D 0 - 0  
06-Oct-93League Cup 2 (2L) 20,614H W 3 - 1 Sheringham (2),  Howells
06-Nov-2002League Cup 3 13,512A L 1 - 2 Poyet
09-Nov-04League Cup 4 10,639A W 3 - 0 Keane (2), Defoe
06-Jan-09League Cup SF (1L) 31,377H W 4 - 1 Dawson, O'Hara, Pavlyuchenko, Duff og
21-Jan-09League Cup SF (2L)  19,5332 - 3  (a.e.t) Pavlyuchenko, Defoe    (Spurs won 6-4 agg)
26-Sep-09FA Prem35,462H W 5 - 0 Keane (4, 1 pen), Jenas
09-May-10FA PremA




















LAST TIME WE MET...

































Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 Burnley

White Hart Lane, Saturday 26th September 2009, Premier League

Robbie Keane scored four times as Spurs returned to winning ways in an entertaining game at White Hart Lane. Keane slotted a penalty into the bottom corner after strike partner Jermain Defoe was brought down by Andre Bikey. Burnley had their moments in an open game and Steve Fletcher had a goal ruled offside, before Jermaine Jenas made it 2-0 with a deflected 20-yarder. After the break Keane fired into the top corner, rifled in a left-foot shot and squeezed a fourth in off the post.

Burnley remain without a goal or a point away from home in their first Premier League campaign, but looked comfortable in possession in the early stages. With more precision they could have capitalised on some frailties in a Spurs defence missing the reassuring presence of hamstring-victim Ledley King, plus Jonathan Woodgate who has not played so far this season. The home side were grateful to be facing a more generous defence after defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea, as they hit five goals for the fourth time already this term. They soon clicked into gear and Jenas put Keane through with a pin-point pass only for the Irishman's shot to be blocked by Brian Jensen's legs.

But Spurs went ahead as Bikey clumsily hauled down Defoe and Keane sent Jensen the wrong way from the spot. Fletcher could argue he was level when he collected a through ball and drilled a low shot past Carlo Cudicini and the decision proved a turning point as Burnley quickly found themselves two down.  Keane sent Niko Kranjcar away down the left channel, his shot was blocked but Jenas followed up with a fierce long-range effort, that deceived Jensen after a cruel deflection off Stephen Jordan. A wonderfully intricate exchange of passes between Keane and Jenas resulted in the latter backheeling to Jermain Defoe, but the England striker's left-foot shot went wide, denying a clear contender for goal of the month.

Burnley started strongly in the second half, Robbie Blake forcing a good low diving save from Cudicini, and later hitting a post with a rebound from an acute angle after the goalkeeper fumbled a free-kick. Defoe was taken off with an injured finger sustained after Jensen blocked another of his efforts following more invention from Keane. The atmosphere became a little flat but Aaron Lennon revived matters with a typically quick burst and a cut-back to Keane, who finished in some style, side-footed, from 15 yards. His fourth followed shortly afterwards as he raced on to Tom Huddlestone's raking lofted pass from defence, turned and hooked a left-footed drive into the bottom corner.

A superb day for Spurs was completed by the substitute appearances of Gareth Bale, who therefore ended his unfortunate record of never having played in a winning Spurs team in the Premier League since his move from Southampton in the summer of 2007, and the return after injury of Michael Dawson. There was one more moment for Keane as he latched on to Peter Crouch's flick and shot through the legs of Jensen, the ball squirming over the line off the woodwork, and rather summing up Burnley's misery.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp:

"I've never had more problems picking a team. To leave Peter Crouch out after his hat-trick in midweek wasn't easy but I went with the two little ones and their movement was fantastic. With their big centre-halves I thought we would give them more problems than with a big man up there. That was a key factor. Robbie is important, he's one of the few voices we have in the dressing room. He's a great player, has been for years, and he takes his chances so well."

Burnley manager Owen Coyle:

"Bizarre as it sounds we controlled large periods of the match, particularly early on but we conceded really poor goals. We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot, as good as the finishing was from Tottenham our finishing was poor - at best."

Tottenham Hotspur

Cudicini, Corluka, Bassong (Dawson 88), Huddlestone, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Bale 84), Jenas, Palacios, Kranjcar, Keane, Defoe (Crouch 57)

Substitutes: Gomes, Hutton, Naughton, Bentley

Yellow Card: Palacios

Goals: Keane (pen) 18, 74, 77, 87, Jenas 33

Burnley

Jensen, Alexander, Carlisle, Mears, Bikey, Jordan, Gudjonsson, Elliott, Fletcher (Thompson 72), Blake (Guerrero 81), Nugent (Eagles 63)

Substitutes: Penny, Duff, Caldwell, McDonald

Yellow Card: Bikey

Referee: Mike Dean, Attendance: 35,462
Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview: Season 2009-10
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