Last season Burnley managed to stay in the elite championship, which was the main task for the season. The team did not receive a serious reinforcement, which was reflected in the first half of the current English Premier League championship. The start of the team in the League Cup and the FA Cup was unsuccessful, where the team left the draw already at the first stage, giving way to the representative of the second most important division, Huddersfield (1:2) in the 1/16 finals. After 19 rounds of the current Premier League championship, Sean Dyche’s wards got only one win and ten draws, which brought 13 points and 20th place in the standings, which guarantees relegation to the Championship. In January the Clarets lost to Leeds United (1:3), drew with Arsenal (0:0) and shared the tournament points with Watford last Saturday (0:0). Otter, Gudmundsson, Barnes and Taylor, who has an ankle injury, will not be able to play today.
Last season Watford did everything possible and impossible to regain the right to play in the main football division in England. The team achieved its goal, but the strength to start in the Premier League is clearly not enough. The start in the League Cup ended in failure, where the yellow-blacks did not go beyond the second stage, losing to the modest Stoke City. The same fate overtook the Hornets in the FA Cup, where today’s guests lost to Leicester (1:4) at the 1/32 final stage. In the Premier League championship, after the 21st round, the yellow army recorded four wins and three peaceful outcomes, which brought 15 points and 18th place in the relegation zone. The attacking line of the team looks terrible, while the representatives of Hertfordshire conceded almost two goals on average. In the last five rounds the guests got only two points, ending in a draw with Newcastle (1:1) and Burnley (1:1). Unfortunately, frequent changes in the coaching staff did not help either, but there is hope for the experienced Roy Hodgson. On January 25, the 74-year-old Englishman took control of the team. N’Kula, Etebo and Baa, who has an ankle injury, will not be able to play today.