Championship | Gameweek 34

Feb 21, 2025 at 8pm UK

Turf Moor

Burnley vs Sheff Weds

Match preview

Burnley return to Turf Moor on Friday looking to get back to winning ways and close the gap on the top two in the Championship after failing to make any headway despite a long unbeaten run.

The Clarets, who are aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League this season, have suffered just two defeats in their 33 Championship appearances to date, the last coming at the start of November, and have since gone 20 games unbeaten in the second tier.

In that time, Scott Parker's side have conceded just three goals, including 11 consecutive clean sheets going into Friday's game, and have conceded just nine goals in that 33-match period, although they have won just four of their last 10 matches and have been held to six goalless stalemates.

They bounced back from back-to-back draws with home wins over Oxford United and Hull City at the start of February, with Bashir Humphreys and Zian Flemming scoring early goals in a 2-0 triumph over the latter, before their most recent trip to Lancashire rivals Preston North End saw them settle for a point after failing to break the deadlock.

However, having failed to score in 13 of their previous 33 games and slipping five points behind second-placed Sheffield United at the weekend, Burnley will be desperate to bounce back with an 18th league win of the campaign on Friday.

The visitors, meanwhile, will also be looking up as they travel to Lancashire to try and close the gap on the play-off places.

After 33 games of Danny Rohl's first full season in charge, Sheffield Wednesday sit ninth in the Championship, having collected 45 points from 12 wins and 12 draws.

However, an inconsistent run of form since Christmas has seen the Owls fail to break into the top six, with just three wins and four defeats in their last 11 outings, although the last two of their three points have come on the road.

Rohl's men bounced back from defeat at fellow play-off chasers West Bromwich Albion with a 1-0 win away at Swansea City last Wednesday thanks to Michael Smith's goal, but they failed to win back-to-back games for the first time since mid-December on Saturday when they hosted Coventry City and went down 2-1.

Joel Latibeaudiere's own goal gave the Owls an equaliser on the hour mark, but Ellis Simms grabbed all three points for the visitors in stoppage time, and now ninth and three points adrift of the play-off places, Sheffield Wednesday will be looking for a big scalp on Friday to strengthen their claim for a top-six finish.

Recent Performance

Burnley Championship form:WDDWWD

Burnley form (all competitions):DDWWWD

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:DWDLWL

Team News

Burnley continue to be without a number of players through injury, with Jordan Beyer, Luca Koleosho, Mike Tresor and Aaron Ramsey all continuing their spells in the treatment room.

However, key midfielder and captain Josh Brownhill, who leads the side with nine Championship goals this season, returned from a spell on the bench last weekend and could be in contention to start on Friday, alongside Jaidon Anthony and Lyle Foster in support of frontman Zian Flemming, although January signing Marcus Edwards will also be hoping to earn a start.

Elsewhere, Josh Laurent and Josh Cullen continue in midfield, while Connor Roberts, Maxime Esteve, CJ Egan-Riley and Bashir Humphreys will once again make up the back four at James Trafford as the Clarets look to keep a 12th successive clean sheet in the league.

Sheffield Wednesday also have a list of enforced absentees, with defenders Di'Shon Bernard, Dominic Iorfa and Akin Famewo and winger Anthony Musaba all continuing to miss out through injury.

Talismanic midfielder Barry Bannan recovered from a foot injury against Coventry and will start again, with Shea Charles, Svante Ingelsson and Stuart Armstrong also in contention for a place in midfield.

Ike Ugbo, who is yet to score in the Championship since returning to the Owls on a permanent basis in the summer, could be left out, while Josh Windass and Michael Smith will be hoping for a return to the attack after netting 18 league goals between them this season.

Possible starting lineup

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Humphreys; Cullen, Laurent; Anthony, Brownhill, Edwards; Flemming

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Beadle; Valery, Ihiekwe, Lowe, Johnson; Charles, Armstrong, Bannan; Windass, Smith, Gassama