Burnley v Manchester United: Preview

Burnley v Manchester United

Preview

Burnley v Manchester United: Preview

Team Stat Comparison
	Burnley	Manchester United
Matches Played	1	1
Table Position	19	9
Points	0	3
Goal Difference	-2	1
Goals for *	0.0	0.0
Goals against *	0.0	0.0
Last 5	L	W
Last 5 home		W
Last 5 away	L
* Goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for away club
· Club Stats: Burnley | Manchester United

Competition Stats
	Burnley	Manchester United
Goals		Wayne Rooney 1
Reds
Yellows	Graham Alexander 1	Darren Fletcher 1
· Club Squads : Burnley | Manchester United

Last Five Matches in Competition
Burnley	Manchester United
A: Stoke City 2-0	H: Birmingham 1-0
· Club Results: Burnley | Manchester United

Next Five Matches in Competition
Burnley		Manchester United
8/19	H: Manchester United	8/19	A: Burnley
8/23	H: Everton	8/22	A: Wigan Athletic
8/29	A: Chelsea	8/29	H: Arsenal
9/12	A: Liverpool	9/12	A: Tottenham Hotspur
9/19	H: Sunderland	9/20	H: Manchester City

Updated: August 18, 2009, 9:16 PM UK

Caldwell still sidelined for Burnley

Burnley will face Manchester United without their captain Steven Caldwell after he failed to recover from a groin injury.

Having already sat out the club's Barclays Premier League debut at Stoke last Saturday, the Clarets defender will also miss the first top flight game to be played at Turf Moor for 33 years.

Caldwell suffered the problem on international duty with Scotland last week.

Defender Michael Duff will also miss the match, but Burnley are boosted by the return of summer signing David Edgar, who could make his debut after sitting out Saturday's game through a suspension he picked up while still at Newcastle.

Andre Bikey could also be in line to make his debut after the Cameroon international completed his move from Reading.

Ahead of the game, manager Owen Coyle is delighted that Burnley's loyal fans will be rewarded with a glamorous opener.

Things already look ominous for the newly-promoted side after a 2-0 loss at Stoke on Saturday, with games against United, Everton, Chelsea and Liverpool to come in their next four league fixtures.

But the noise of the Turf Moor faithful drove Burnley on to claim some memorable high-profile scalps in the Carling Cup last season in a run that almost took them to the final.

And now the club have earned the right to play amongst the elite every week, Coyle hopes their supporters will have a similarly galvanising effect on the players as they go in search of their first points of the season.

"It will be sold out and we all know the atmosphere Turf Moor generates when that's the case - we had that last year, particularly against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the cup,'' said Coyle.

"That atmosphere for me is what the football club is all about. It's really passionate, they love their football and come Wednesday night under the lights, there's no doubt it will be a marvellous atmosphere.

"I think its fitting that our first home game in the Premier League is against Manchester United, one of the best teams in the world.''

Wes Brown is standing by to replace Jonny Evans as Manchester United head to Burnley for their first league meeting since 1976.

With Nemanja Vidic (calf) and Rio Ferdinand (thigh) already ruled out and Jonny Evans a major doubt, Brown is set to partner John O'Shea in central defence.

Michael Carrick and Anderson are set to make their first appearances of the season, while Michael Owen could be included after being introduced as a substitute in Sunday's win over Birmingham.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has pleaded for understanding on behalf of Coyle as Burnley try to find their feet after a 36-year absence from the top flight.

Their tricky run of opening fixtures means that unless Coyle's men can record a couple of exceptional results, they will find themselves near, or at, the foot of the table, with many pundits believing they can will stay there.

Then Ferguson fears Coyle will be a man under pressure, no matter that he was responsible for their unexpected return to England's elite.

"I hope he has got an understanding chairman,'' said Ferguson.

"We live in a results industry. No matter what we think is fair or how difficult we think it is to get into the Premier League, some directors don't think that way.

"Their decisions are results-fuelled also by the local press perhaps or the local butcher. If they go into the butcher's and someone says 'Your team had a bad result on Saturday' they panic.

"Every manager is under the same pressure.

"It doesn't matter what you have spent, if they are not staying in that Premier League, they are getting the Dan Mack. It's a horrible part of their life.''