Burnley

BBC pundit Chris Sutton is taking on Ski Sunday presenter Ed Leigh for this weekend's Premier League predictions.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

How many times can we say a game is a must-win for Burnley? This feels like another one, with the Clarets seven points adrift of safety.

Fulham are not out of the woods yet though. They are still huffing and puffing but not exactly free-scoring at the moment either, and we will have to wait and see if signing Armando Broja on loan from Chelsea changes that.

Burnley's home form is terrible but Fulham have been awful on the road, so a draw seems like the obvious result to go for.

Ed's prediction: I watched Fulham against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and really enjoyed the way they played. They looked really good playing out from the back - but they have just got nothing up front.

You could say the same for Burnley, really, so I am going for a turgid goalless draw.

0-0

Read the full predictions

• Burnley are unbeaten in their past 28 home league games against Fulham (W22 D6) since a 2-0 loss in April 1951. It is their longest run without defeat against an opponent at Turf Moor in their league history.

• Fulham have lost six of their past eight Premier League away games against promoted sides, with their only win in this run coming at Nottingham Forest last season (3-2).

• Burnley have won fewer home points than any other side in the Premier League this season (four), losing nine of their 11 games at Turf Moor so far (W1 D1). Only in 2018-19 (10) have they ever lost 10 or more home games in a single league campaign.

• Fulham are winless in 10 Premier League away games, losing the past five in a row and failing to score in the past three. They last lost more consecutive top-flight away games between January and April 2019 (seven).

• Since a run in which they netted at least three goals in four consecutive Premier League matches in November and December, scoring 16 times, Fulham have failed to score in five of their past six league games, and are the lowest scorers in the league since the date of the first game in that run (16 December, two goals).

• Burnley have lost 16 of their 22 Premier League games this season (W3 D3), just one fewer than they did in their relegation campaign of 2021-22.

Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha has sympathised with the players who have moved to struggling clubs during the January transfer window, on The Football News Show: "I only had one move in January and that was from Manchester City - who were winning the league - to QPR - who were fighting relegation - so it was a bit of a change, you could say.

"Getting to learn about your team-mates, when you are also fighting fires in real time, it's not the best time to integrate with a new side. Things weren't great.

"When you're winning games, it's far easier but we weren't in that position.

"It was tough and then making the adjustment and stuff with family, halfway through the season, but again it's something you have to do if you want to find football.

"I was going somewhere to try to find more football. If you're someone who is being signed because you are the pinnacle, then maybe it is different but that wasn't the experience for me."

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley have confirmed defender Connor Roberts has joined Leeds United on loan for the rest of the season.

Roberts joined the Clarets in August 2021 from Swansea City and has made 88 appearances for the club over the last two-and-a-half seasons.

The Wales international will join Daniel Farke’s Championship promotion-chasers for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley have signed Rennes defender Lorenz Assignon on loan until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old right-back, who progressed through Rennes’ academy after joining in 2015, has made 60 appearances for the Ligue 1 side to date.

"I’m really happy, said Assignon. "It’s been a long day and it’s been a day of hard decisions but I’m very pleased to be here.

"I had a number of clubs to choose from but I spoke to the manager and straight away knew that I wanted to be here.

"I’m ready to go. It’s the best league in the world and I’m really excited to be a part of it."

Have your say on the new signing

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley will join Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old joined the Clarets from Manchester City in July 2022, spending the second half of his first season on loan at Hibernian.

Egan-Riley will now link up with the Dutch league leaders for the rest of the current campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley have confirmed the signing of France under-21 defender Maxime Esteve from Ligue 1 side Montpellier on loan until the end of the season

The 21-year-old centre-back joined the club as a child in 2011, and has played 62 times since making his first-team debut in 2021.

After joining the Clarets, Esteve said: "I feel very good, I’m really happy and ever since I first heard about the move I wanted to move here.

"I have followed the Premier League since being a young child and had only pictured myself ever being here, so I am really excited.

"The manager (Vincent Kompany) spoke really positively about the project here and I just wanted to be a part of it straight away."

Clarets fans - what do you think about your teams' January business? Have you done enough to mount a survival bid?

Let us know here

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley have confirmed that Under-21 captain Dan Sassi has joined League one Blackpool on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee.

The 19-year-old central defender joined the Clarets from Stoke City in July 2020, before signing a three-year professional contract in the summer of 2022.

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

One transfer that we initially reported on the first day of the window has dragged out until the final hours.

Hull City are now in advanced talks with Burnley over a loan deal for winger Anass Zaroury.

The Morocco international has been left frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities this season.

The Tigers are having some window, having already brought in Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool and Abdulkadir Omur - better known as the 'Turkish Messi'.

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Villarreal are trying to sign winger Manuel Benson from Burnley at this late stage on deadline day.

However, the move is complicated by a limit of seven players (not club-trained or under the age of 21) that teams can send out on loan.

The Clarets currently have Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Darko Churlinov, Luke McNally, Michael Obafemi, Samuel Bastien, Wout Weghorst and Scott Twine all out on loan.

I met a scout at a game against Brentford and when he mentioned his club, he said; "We’re frightened to death of breaking any rules, so it looks like we can’t do much at all."

That tells you everything.

Everyone is very limited - there are few ins and outs and a few swap deals but nothing significant.

Usually the big deals have a knock-on effect as it releases a couple and we get movement, but it’s been very quiet and agents have not been that busy.

I think there are lots of late deals to happen but will we see a bigger one? I don’t know.

Chelsea's Armando Broja seems to be getting all of the speculation at this point in the day.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Vincent Kompany has been speaking to the media before Burnley's Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Kompany confirmed that the team didn't look to have picked up any injuries against Manchester City, but they now "need to get recovery spot on so the team is ready to go for Fulham".

• He also confirmed the signing of Maxime Esteve is "pretty close" but that "there is still nothing official", adding: "He is in the building and hopefully we can announce soon."

• Asked about the potential move of Connor Roberts to Leeds United, he said: "I understand players want to play and if they have an opportunity to do that somewhere then we won't deny them."

• On whether they need more experience with Nathan Redmond injured, he said: "It's the Premier League - it is legs, athleticism. You can have all experience you want, but if you can't run and impose yourself there is nothing you can do. Important for us to have right profiles - and if they have experience then that is a bonus."

• On the Fulham match being a must-win game, he said: "I'd like for us to have a must-win attitude in every game. I keep saying it, but everything I see with the group and how they are approaching the tough period we have, they have always done exactly what I want them to do."

• He said he "always enjoys the pressure" and added: "I think in football you have to expect some degree of pressure at some point, whether relegation or playing for a title like last season. The biggest thing we can do is keep improving, there are enough moments in games for us to win them."

• Asked whether he believes they can escape relegation, he said: "Yes, always. It is the biggest part of my job to transmit that. I enjoy working with this group. I suffer like they suffer when we lose, but I always wake up feeling like I want more."

Follow all Thursday's transfer deadline day and news conference updates

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Burnley are looking to sign right-back Lorenz Assignon from Rennes.

The Clarets are leaving it late and have less than 12 hours to complete a deal for the 23-year-old Frenchman.

Assignon had been linked with a move to Galatasaray but it seems like the Turkish giants will sign Serge Aurier from Nottingham Forest instead.

It may allow Championship side Leeds United to make a move for Burnley full-back Connor Roberts.

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Burnley spent big in the summer, close to £100m on new signings, but the season has not gone to plan, entrenched in the relegation zone and staring at an immediate return to the Championship.

Midfielder Manuel Benson was one of the star players in last season's title winning team but has barely had a look-in this year and was linked with a move to Southampton and Hull earlier this month.

The Belgian will be frustrated at the lack of opportunities and was left out of the squad for Wednesday's defeat at Manchester City but BBC Sport understands Benson is likely to stay at Turf Moor beyond the end of the transfer window.

Anass Zaroury is another who is unhappy at the lack of first-team chances on offer under Vincent Kompany this term but is likely to stay too after the Clarets rejected a loan offer from Ligue 1 side Lille.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from the eight Premier League matches played over Tueday and Wednesday.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

• Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal

• Aston Villa 1-3 Newcastle

• Liverpool 4-1 Chelsea

• Manchester City 3-1 Burnley

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is hoping to add to his squad on deadline day, while Manuel Benson could be heading out of Turf Moor.

Montpellier central defender Maxime Esteve is thought to be top of the Clarets' list of targets.

Speaking after Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at Manchester City, Kompany said he expected to do some business.

"I hope something will happen," he said. "You can make miracle transfers in January but they’re very difficult to find."

Benson was left out of the Burnley squad for the trip to City and although Southampton and Hull City have been linked with the 26-year-old winger, who has started only two games this season, nothing has so far materialised.

"There were little bits of rumours of him going away on loan," said Kompany. "Of course, it is normal that he wants to play and we will see how it resolves itself."

Follow the latest transfer news

On Wednesday, we asked you what Burnley's ideal final day of business in the January transfer window would look like.

Here is a selection of your responses:

Jack: Dream transfer deadline day would be Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Nick Pope and Danny Ings all back at the club.

Steven: Ideal would be us signing Erling Haaland but realistically signing a left-back if Charlie Taylor is injured for the long term. Looks like Maxime Esteve is almost done. That would be a decent window with David Datro Fofana in as well.

Jonah: Deadline-day squad bolstering would be very useful for this squad -personally I think a new centre back as Dara O'Shea has looked tired at times. Realistically, if we can snag a left back that’ll be a decent window.

Rich: What we need is the same as what we've needed since winning the league at Ewood Park - a new left-back, a strong defensive midfielder and if finance permits a more senior commanding centre-half. I would love a Ben Mee-type right now to organise us. We have lost 18 points from winning positions. If we had Ben in the back four, we'd be mid-table for sure.

Whether it turns out to be a day of high drama or a pretty quiet one for your club, you can rarely take your eye off transfer deadline day.

Are you hoping for a rush of late deals or expecting a relaxed one?

Follow our live text coverage throughout the day here

We asked you for your thoughts on Wednesday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Burnley.

Here are some of your comments:

City fans

Pedro: Great to see all the squad fit and putting in really good solid performances. Good for squad rotation, as it will be needed in the run-in and hopefully won’t affect the quality of performance. Nunes and Gvardiol are fitting in much better now.

Sam: Did what we needed to do and was great to see Nunes play well. Tougher matches ahead and hopefully some more clean sheets too, only five for the league season is very poor by City's standards, especially when three of them came against newly promoted sides. Onwards we go!

U: Routine win, game was over early. Great to see Haaland back but he did look rusty - though that is to be expected. Gvardiol at left-back is a problem and he got beaten far too easily for Burnley’s goal. Need to see more from the likes of him and Grealish. Nunes had a solid game which is good to see.

Burnley fans

Barry: Burnley are, unfortunately, light years away from Premier League standard at the moment. As a Burnley supporter, I admire Vincent Kompany - but it baffles me why he continues to play Vitinho. In my opinion, he is clearly not up to it and he is a player other teams focus on as one of our main weaknesses.

Chris: Three of our next five games are Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. We could be down, more or less, by the end of February. I don't think anything we do in this window is going to rescue us.

Jacko: Doing a grand job, Vinny lad. Keep up the great work. You may even get the odd shot on target sometime soon.

Listen back to full BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra match commentary here