Burnley vs Swansea City: Preview & Prediction

Burnley return to the Premier League after a year away on Saturday afternoon when they host Swansea City at Turf Moor.

Sean Dyche’s Clarets secured the Championship title last season, bouncing back to the top-flight at the first attempt, finishing first and attaining 93 points in their promotion-winning campaign.

Burnley will be hoping for a better campaign in the Premier League than their previous two, which both concluded in relegation (2009/10 and 2014/15).

Burnley manger Sean Dyche will be hoping his side can avoid relegation this season – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The east Lancashire outfit have recruited mainly players from lower divisions, including Charlton Athletic pair Nick Pope and Johann Berg Gudmundsson, as well as Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan, while they have had to deal with the departure of influential midfielder Joey Barton to Rangers.

Francesco Guidolin takes his Swansea City side to the second-tier champions having guided the south Wales side to a 12th-placed finish in the Premier League, following a season where they flirted with relegation.

To ensure that they are not competing in the lower echelons of the league table, the Swans have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Leroy Fer and Fernando Llorente as well as spending £15.5 million, a club record-fee, on forward Borja Baston.

Long-standing captain Ashley Williams was sold to Everton, and Bafetimbi Gomes loaned to Marseille, in what has been a summer of transition at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea will be hoping for similar fortunes to their last visit to Turf Moor in February 2015, as Tom Heaton’s own goal with 25 minutes to play earned the away side a narrow triumph on their travels.

Team News:

Burnley boss Dyche wants to see more of new recruit Flanagan prior to giving him his debut for the club he recently signed for from Liverpool.

Flanagan’s fellow full-back, Stephen Ward, will be out with a hamstring injury, as will striker Ashley Barnes, who is suffering from a similar complaint.

Andre Gray, who netted 23 times in 41 appearances for Burnley last season, will lead the attacking option, along with Sam Vokes, while Gudmundsson could feature for his competitive first outing.

For Swansea, new signing Baston will sit out the encounter at Burnley. His manager will not integrate him into his squad until next week.

Gylfi Sigurdsson will be among the substitutes after helping Iceland to the Quarter-Final of the European Championships in France earlier in the summer. The same applies to Neil Taylor, who is building up his fitness after Wales’ exploits at the tournament.

Last season: Burnley 1st – (Championship – 93pts): Swansea City – 12th (47pts)
Last Meeting: Burnley 0-1 Swansea City (Premier League – February 28, 2015)
League Form: Burnley – WWDWWW: Swansea City – WLLWWD
Key Men: Burnley – Andre Gray: Swansea City – Gylfi Sigurdsson
Shoot Says: Burnley 1-1 Swansea City