Newcastle United will travel to Turf Moor on Monday to face Burnley, but the Magpies should be strong favorites in this affair.
There are no easy matches when it comes to the Premier League, but Newcastle United should extend their winning streak to three matches against Burnley on Monday. Earning positive results at home is one thing, but claiming a victory on the road is a difficult task for any club.
On Monday, though, the Magpies should not be not play cautious football at Turf Moor. Rafa Benitez will surely tell his players to respect the opposition, but Newcastle are the better team on paper and this is reflected in their current form. Here are a few reasons why Newcastle should be tapped as strong favorites on the road.
Burnley’s Defensive Struggles
Burnley is one of the best opponents for Newcastle to face after a two-week break. The reason for this is simple: Burnley are not a good team and I would not be surprised to see them get relegated in May. Over the course of 12 matches, the Clarets have conceded 25 goals, which ranks them as the third worst back-line in the league. With Salomon Rondon back in scoring form and Yoshinori Muto fully recovered from his injury, the Magpies should have no problem exposing Burnley’s vulnerabilities in defense.
Offensive Revival for Newcastle
After a dreadful start to the 2018-19 campaign, Newcastle’s offense is gradually coming back to life. After defeating Watford (1-0) and Bournemouth (2-1) earlier this month, Newcastle will head into Monday’s match full of confidence. Burnley should understand that Newcastle’s game plan will be to go out wide and then feed Rondon with crosses in the penalty area.
Regardless of their preparation, Burnley will have a difficult time containing Newcastle’s offense. To put things into perspective, over the last four matches Newcastle have created 61 shots, which is around 15 shots per match. This offensive activity could overwhelm Burnley’s defenders.
Consistent Defending
Offensive efficiency always attracts headlines, but Newcastle’s defensive consistency has kept them competitive in matches. After losing to Manchester United on October 6th, the Magpies have turned things around defensively. In their last three matches, the Magpies have claimed two clean sheets and only conceded one goal. Burnley does not boast a dynamic attack and Newcastle’s aggressive defending could lead to another claim sheet.