Burnley face a quick turnaround to prepare for Portsmouth at Turf Moor this Saturday following a heavy defeat at Lincoln. The Clarets were beaten 4-1 on the road earlier this week, a result that leaves them second from bottom in the Championship table. They have taken just eight points from their opening 12 matches, with a record of one win, five draws and six defeats.
Burnley took the lead through Andréas Hountondji just before half-time, but the game turned after the break. Lincoln scored four unanswered goals, with Mikkel Ladefoged netting twice, to inflict a second consecutive loss on the Lancashire side. This followed a 2-1 home defeat to Wolves on 16 October, where Jamie Vardy had opened the scoring. Their recent form over the last five games is one win, two draws and two losses, and they have now lost their last two matches.
That loss leaves Burnley 22nd in the Championship with just eight points from a dozen games. Their recent form reads LLDWD, and they are 17 points adrift of the automatic promotion places currently occupied by Middlesbrough. The team has scored 17 goals this season but conceded 25, leaving them with a goal difference of minus eight. The immediate focus is on halting the slide against a Portsmouth side sitting comfortably in 11th place.
No new injury concerns have been reported following the midweek fixture. The squad will be looking to regroup and find a more solid defensive performance at home.
The match against Portsmouth is scheduled for Saturday, 31 October at Turf Moor. It represents a critical opportunity for Burnley to stop the rot and climb away from the relegation zone. A positive result would provide a much-needed boost before the next block of fixtures.
