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Weekend In Numbers: Burnley on the verge of Premier League survival

Should Chelsea beat Bournemouth this weekend in Saturday's late game and Tottenham fail to g...



Weekend In Numbers: Burnley on...
Soccer

Weekend In Numbers: Burnley on the verge of Premier League survival

Should Chelsea beat Bournemouth this weekend in Saturday's late game and Tottenham fail to get a win against Watford, the Premier League leaders will extend the gap at the summit to 10 points with nine games to play. 

While many have already rang the death knell for this year's Premier League title race, there still remains the possibility that Chelsea could suffer a few hiccups in the final games of the season.

Their defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend was the perfect example of this, but they reasserted their hold on the title with a 2-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday night.

There is also the matter of the battle against relegation at the bottom of the table, with Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Swansea City and Hull City all occupying the bottom four spaces. 

 Burnley close to securing top-flight status

Sean Dyche will have breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday night as the final whistle blew at Turf Moor. In front of their home fans, Burnley had secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Stoke City.

A game that many Clarets fans would have wanted to see them win, the result brought to an end a run of seven league games without a win.

Among those results were a credible draw with league leaders Chelsea and and a 2-1 defeat away to Liverpool. However, dropping points against fellow strugglers Swansea City, Hull City and a discouraging scoreless draw at home to basement side Sunderland would have done their confidence no favours.

Back to winning ways, Burnley sit in 14th position in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone. A win against Middlesbrough this weekend would see them all but secure their place in the Premier League next season.

Of their 35 points this season, just three have been secured on the road.

Robbie Brady and co would only need two more points to hit that magic 40-point marker, with games against Bournemouth (A), West Ham (H) and Crystal Palace (A) all to come.

Mission almost accomplished.

Michael Keane and goalkeeper Tom Heaton celebrate after securing a valuable win at Turf Moor on Wednesday night. Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Images

Good omens as Spurs host Hornets

Their late, late show at the Liberty Stadium might be all Tottenham need to point at to give them the belief that they can still challenge Chelsea for the Premier League title.

While it looks as though it's Chelsea's to lose, you can't discount Spurs this season and the mental resolve they have shown at times.

They'll look to this weekend's clash with Watford at White Hart Lane knowing that history favours the home side.

Watford come off the back of consecutive wins against Sunderland and West Brom and haven't conceded a goal in 200 minutes of Premier League football.

Their record at White Hart Lane leaves something to be desired: they've not won their in the league since November 1985.

Furthermore, during their four stints in the top flight since the start of the Premier League era, Watford have never beaten Tottenham.

Pochettino's side have lost once - to Liverpool - in their last 15 league games, a run that stretches back to mid-December.

The race isn't run yet. Tottenham still have a chance. A slim one, but a chance none the less.

Dele Alli, Eric Dier and others celebrate after Tottenham scored three goals in the final five minutes at the Liberty Stadium to beat Swansea 3-1. Image:  Nick Potts/PA Wire/PA Images

United happy on the road 

Another underwhelming performance at Old Trafford, another draw for Manchester United. Jose Mourinho hasn't exactly warmed to his new home.

Nine times already this season United drawn at home. Six of those have been 1-1 draws. And of those nine, five have come in their last six home matches.

Their unbeaten run has masked at times United's ability to kill off games and Mourinho knows many of those draws should be wins.

So this weekend at bottom club Sunderland, they'll look to the road for relief.

They're unbeaten in their last eight games away from home, winning six of those. Of those eight games - stretching back to November - United not failed to scored. Only twice have they only scored one goal.

The positives for Sunderland are that United haven't won in their last three visits to the Stadium of Light.

That's where the positives end.

They haven't scored in the league in their last six games. Their main striker Jermain Defoe is without a goal since that 4-0 win over Crystal Palace. In essence, Defoe hasn't scored in six games and by extension, neither have Sunderland.

And with just 20 points on the board with eight games to play, no team has survived from this position.

Talisman: Jermain Defore hasn't scored since February 4th and neither have Sunderland. Image:  Mike Egerton/PA Wire/PA Images

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