Slim Victory For The Baggies On Sunday

West Brom host Burnley on Sunday afternoon in a game that could prove vital to both sides’ hopes of Premier League survival in the long term.

Form
An unlikely victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane last weekend eased the pressure building around new boss Alan Irvine as it saw the Scot pick up his first league win as boss of West Brom. James Morrison scored the only goal of the game against Spurs when he nodded in a corner unmarked late in the second half to put them on five points from five Premier League games.

Irvine then saw his Baggies side earn a second win on the spin in a midweek Capital One Cup tie as they overcame Hull when they got the better of a five-goal thriller at the Hawthorns when Gareth McCauley and Saido Berahino struck in the last three minutes to put them through to last 16. England Under-21 striker Berahino now has three goals for the season, topping the goalscoring charts for the club.

Burnley picked up a point at home against Sunderland at home last weekend and a third goalless draw in a row in the process to leave the newly promoted side on three points from five games ahead of Newcastle in last spot only on goal difference. The Clarets are now without a win in six games this season and although their resolute defence has rightly been praised, a return of one goal to date this season illustrates perfectly how their biggest problems lie at the other end of the pitch.

Team News
Record signing Brown Ideye suffered a bittersweet night against Hull when he injured himself in the process of scoring his first goal for the club and had to be substituted soon after. The Nigerian is now facing a late fitness test to determine his involvement but is the only injury worry for Irvine.

Sean Dyche’s problems up front have been largely due to the lack of form and fitness of their first choice strike pairing of Danny Ings and Sam Vokes, with the latter yet to feature this season and Ings now suffering a hamstring problem. Neither will feature in this game with David Jones and Matt Taylor also sidelined.

Head-to-Head
This will be the first time these clubs have met in the Premier League, with their last meeting of any kind coming a couple of FA Cup meetings in 2009 when the Clarets prevailed 3-1 at Turf Moor in a replay following a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns.

In a game that has routinely gone the way of the home team, there has been only one away victory between these teams since 1970

– the Baggies 2-0 win in Lancashire back in 2002.

Recommended Bets
The match betting market has the Baggies at Even money with Burnley a chunky 16/5 to earn a first win of the season, but the visitors chronic lack of goals and the history between the teams makes the home win more than reasonable at that price.

West Brom have been far from prolific themselves with just three Premier League goals and so odds on prices of 7/10 on Under 2.5 goals are justified and looks to be a shoo-in, while a 1-0 home win for the Baggies or a fourth nil all draw in a row for the Clarets carry the most appeal in the correct score market at 11/2 and 15/2 respectively.