Team News:
Barnsley are forced into one change as striker Garry O’Connor is now ineligible until his move from Birmingham becomes permanent on the 1st January. Andy Gray is likely to replace him. That should be the only change as boss Mark Robins looks for a fifth win in six matches. Matt Hill could finally return on loan from Wolves after recovering from a fractured foot but is likely only to make the bench.
Likely Lineup:
Luke Steele
Kieran Trippier
Jason Shackell
Stephen Foster
Bobby Hassell
Adam Hammill
Nathan Doyle
Hugo Colace
Jim O’Brien
Goran Lovre
Andy Gray
Head To Head:
Barnsley and Burnley will meet on Boxing Day for the fourth time, with this being the third one at Oakwell. Barnsley have won the previous two festive home meetings with their Lancashire counterparts by a 1-0 score line. The last one came in the 2006-2007 season when a first half goal from Martin Devaney was enough to lift The Reds five points clear of the drop zone. It was the same score-line when they met on Boxing Day 2000. This time a last minute effort from Chris Morgan moved Barnsley into the division’s top half.
Teams:
2006:
Barnsley: Colgan, Hassell, Atkinson, Kay, Austin (Heckingbottom, 34 ) , Devaney, Togwell, McCann,Reid, Hayes (Knight, 87 ) , Nardiello (Richards, 87 )
Subs not used: Letheren,Williams,
Burnley: Jensen, Foster, Thomas, Duff, Harley ( Hyde, 76 ) , Elliott, McCann, O'Connor, Jones (O'Connor, 83 ) , Lafferty ( Mahon, 76 ) , Noel-Williams
Subs not used: Branch, Spicer,
2000:
Barnsley: Miller, Appleby, Salli, Shipperley, Sheron (Jones, 71 ) , van der Laan, Morgan, Neil (McClare, 81 ) , Barker, Chettle, Ripley (Corbo, 57 )
Subs not used: Dyer,Bullock,
Burnley: Michopoulos, Thomas, Mellon, Davis, Johnrose, Branch ( Little, 65 ( Jepson, 86 )) , Thomas-Moore ( Payton, 78 ) , Smith, Weller, Ball, Cox
Subs not used: Crichton, Mullin,
The Reds completed a hat-trick of Boxing Day victories against the Clarets when they defeated them 2-1 at Turf Moor in 2008. Jamie Cureton put the Reds in front after just six minutes before Chris McCann equalised just before half-time. The Reds won it though when McCann then put through his own goal.
Teams:
Burnley: Jensen, Duff, Carlisle (McDonald, 78 ) , Caldwell, Jordan, Elliott, Alexander, McCann, Eagles,Paterson, Blake (Thompson, 65 )
Subs not used: Penny,Gudjonsson,Mahon,
Barnsley: Muller, Van Homoet, Foster, Moore, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Hassell, De Silva, Leon (Colace, 58 ) , Cureton ( Odejayi, 82 ) , Macken ( Rigters, 72 )
Subs not used: El Haimour, Guedes,
This game also marks the first “return” fixture of the 2010-2011 season, as The Reds travelled to Turf Moor in October. Unfortunately it was not a pleasant trip as they were thumped 3-0 and full back Jay McEveley suffered a nasty knee injury which has ruled him out for the rest of the season. Second half goals from Chris Eagles (2) and Chris Iwelumo did the damage on the field, but The Reds have won two of their three away games since.
Teams:
Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Bikey, Cort, Easton, Marney (Alexander, 89 ) , Eagles (Wallace, 79 ) , Elliott,Cork, Iwelumo (Paterson, 84 ) , Rodriguez
Subs not used: Thompson,Duff,Edgar,Grant,
Barnsley: Steele, Foster, McEveley ( Potter, 61 ) , Shackell, Hassell ( O'Brien, 69 ) , Trippier, Doyle,Lovre ( Wood, 74 ) , Hammill, Colace, Gray
Subs not used: Preece, Dickinson, Butterfield, Arismendi,
Whilst Barnsley have won just five out of 31 visits to Burnley, they have a decent home record against them and are unbeaten in the last 14 Oakwell meetings stretching way back to 1932, and have won nine of those, including the last two, both by 3-2 score-lines.
Although in different leagues last season they met in the League Cup in a real entertaining affair. Burnley led through Steven Fletcher after 21 minutes, but within 60 seconds Jon Macken had hauled The Reds level. Then right on the stroke of half-time a real thunderbolt from Anderson De Silva put the Reds in front. Chris Eagles levelled it at 2-2 within seven minutes of the restart but with 15 minutes remaining Hugo Colace put Barnsley into the next round where they would meet Manchester United.
Teams:
Barnsley: Preece, Kozluk, Foster, Moore (Thompson, 46 ) , Butterfield, De Silva, Hammill, Gray,Colace, Macken, Hume
Subs not used: Heslop,Devaney,Bogdanovic,El Haimour,Sodje,Rusling,
Burnley: Jensen ( Penny, 34 ) , Carlisle, Bikey, Kalvenes, Eckersley ( Duff, 46 ) , Eagles, Gudjonsson,McDonald, Guerrero, Fletcher, Paterson ( Rodriguez, 15 )
Subs not used: Blake, Elliott, Edgar, Easton,
The SKY cameras were down at Oakwell for the last league meeting here between the two sides in November 2008 and it turned into another entertaining five goal affair.
The Reds stormed into a 3-0 lead with goals from Macken, Simon Whaley and Diego Leon but then almost collapsed in the final 20 minutes as they allowed Martin Paterson to net a brace and ensure a very nervy finish.
Teams:
Barnsley: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Guedes, Kozluk, Whaley, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Devaney (Leon, 10 (Coulson, 84 )) , Odejayi (Van Homoet, 84 ) , Macken
Subs not used: Mostto,Rigters,
Burnley: Jensen, Duff ( Rodriguez, 88 ) , Carlisle, Caldwell, Jordan, Alexander, McCann, Gudjonsson (McDonald, 55 ) , Eagles, Akinbiyi ( Paterson, 55 ) , Blake
Subs not used: Penny, Mahon,
The other home meeting since Barnsley returned to the Championship came in 2007-2008 when the two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. A certain Andy Gray put Burnley in front before Miguel Mostto netted his first goal in English football.
Barnsley: Muller, Foster, Guedes, Nyatanga, Werling, Campbell-Ryce (Ricketts, 84 ) , Howard,McCann, Devaney, Mostto, Odejayi
Subs not used: Colgan,Kozluk,Togwell,Coulson,
Burnley: Kiraly, Alexander, Caldwell, Carlisle, Jordan, Elliott, Spicer, McCann, Mahon ( Lafferty, 69 ) ,Akinbiyi ( Jones, 85 ) , Gray
Subs not used: Jensen, O'Connor, Unsworth,
Barnsley 3-2 Burnley Match Report 24/11/08
Barnsley 1-1 Burnley Match Report 20/10/07
Last Six Barnsley v Burnley results:
19/10/10 Burnley 3-0 Barnsley (Championship)
22/9/09 Barnsley 3-2 Burnley (League Cup)
26/12/08 Burnley 1-2 Barnsley (Championship)
24/11/08 Barnsley 3-2 Burnley (Championship)
29/3/08 Burnley 2-1 Barnsley (Championship)
20/10/07 Barnsley 1-1 Burnley (Championship)
Overall Record:
Barnsley Wins: 17
Burnley Wins: 28
Draws: 15
Barnsley Goals: 76
Burnley Goals: 104
At Oakwell:
Barnsley Wins: 12
Burnley Wins: 8
Draws: 9
Barnsley Goals: 45
Burnley Goals: 33
This Season:
When Burnley defeated Barnsley 3-0 back in October they rose to fourth in the Championship, but since then they have managed just two wins from eight matches to drop to 12th and now lie above The Reds only by the virtue of goal difference. This has led to pressure mounting on former Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws as supporters demand an instant return to the Premier League.
Going on home form they look a good bet, having won seven of their 11 matches at Turf Moor- although when they defeated The Reds they were still unbeaten at home but have since suffered reverses to Reading and in their last match, Leeds on their own patch. It is their dreadful away record that is hindering them however, and the Clarets are the only side in the Championship yet to win away from home. That record is made even worse considering they won only once on their travels in the Premier League last season. Overall it means Burnley have won just one of their last 29 matches away from home.
Like Burnley it is Barnsley’s home form which is keeping them close to the fridges of the play-off race, although The Reds have won their last two matches on the road. Currently The Reds are on a five match unbeaten run, winning four of them and have kept three clean sheets in a row. The last time they managed four shutouts in succession was back in the 2004-2005 season when Blackpool, Colchester, Torquay and Peterborough were all defeated.
Due to the recent postponements of the Doncaster and Millwall matches, Sunday will be the fourth home game in a row for Barnsley, something which they have not had in the league since the Fourth Division promotion season of 1978-1979. Then, like now, adverse weather led to cancellations and it meant Barnsley would play four home games in a row in March 1979, and they won them all! Defeating Bournemouth 1-0, Newport 1-0, Scunthorpe 4-1 and Crewe 3-1. They were promoted in third place at the end of that season and have not been back in the Fourth Division since.
If The Reds manage to defeat Burnley on Sunday, they will also create history. Victory would mean they will have become the first team to win 1000 matches in the second tier of English football!
Last six 2010-2011 results:
Barnsley:
11/12/10 Barnsley 1-0 Sheffield United (Championship)
27/11/10 Barnsley 0-0 Watford (Championship)
20/11/10 Barnsley 1-0 Portsmouth (Championship)
13/11/10 Ipswich 1-3 Barnsley (Championship)
9/11/10 Preston 1-2 Barnsley (Championship)
6/11/10 Barnsley 0-2 Leicester (Championship)
W: 4 D: 1 L: 1 F: 7 A: 4 GD: +3 Points: 13
Burnley:
11/12/10 Burnley 2-3 Leeds (Championship)
27/11/10 Burnley 2-1 Derby (Championship)
20/11/10 Coventry 1-0 Burnley (Championship)
13/11/10 Burnley 3-2 Watford (Championship)
9/11/10 Burnley 1-1 Doncaster (Championship)
6/11/10 Norwich 2-2 Burnley (Championship)
W: 2 D: 2 L: 2 F: 10 A: 10 GD: 0 Points: 8
Boxing Day Records
Burnley are looking for their first Boxing Day victory since 2005. The Clarets have lost two of the last four on this festive date- both to Barnsley 1-0 in 2007 and 2008. This will be their first away Boxing Day game since their trip to Oakwell three years ago.
Barnsley meanwhile are unbeaten on Boxing Day since a 3-2 defeat at Notts County in 2002. They have won three and drawn three since- two of those victories being against Burnley. The other festive victory was a 2-1 win at Hartlepool in 2003, where they came from behind to end Pools 27 match unbeaten home run. The Reds have not played on Boxing Day since a trip to Turf Moor in 2008, as their scheduled trip to Preston was postponed due to snow. They would eventually play this game in February and win 4-1!
Mad Sites:
www.burnley-mad.co.uk
Official Sites:
www.burnleyfootballclub.com
Other Fixtures:
Crystal Palace v Norwich, 13:00
Portsmouth v Millwall, 13:00
Leicester v Leeds United, 15:00
Middlesbrough v Nott'm Forest, 15:00
Reading v Bristol City, 15:00
Scunthorpe v Preston, 15:00