Preview
Burnley return to the Premier League this season, having bounced straight back up following their relegation at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, and kick their comeback season off with a home tie against Swansea. However, it is not predicted to be easy for Sean Dyche’s side given that their squad is arguably weaker now than it was in the Championship. They’ve lost Joey Barton to Rangers, while Michael Duff has moved to a coaching role, and the only replacements have been the Charlton pair Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Nick Pope.
Swansea’s summer, however, hasn’t been much better so far, which is why bookmakers price Burnley as very slight favourites for this match. Marathon Bet have the Clarets as 31/18, while the Swans are given odds of 31/16 and a draw 9/4.
Yet the Welsh side have a good recent record over Saturday’s opponents and won both encounters during the 2014/15 season by a 1-0 scoreline. Odds of 15/2 are available with Bet Victor for a repeat of that scoreline to occur this weekend. In fact, Swansea have won four of their past five meetings with Burnley dating back to 2009 and they have won without conceding each time. A bet on the visiting side to win to nil once again can be found at odds of 18/5 at multiple bookmakers.
So besides their historical edge over Burnley, why else are Swansea worth tipping this weekend? Well, the fact that they could line up a Spanish striker duo is one major reason to get excited about Francesco Guidolin’s side. Fernando Llorente has already joined the club, while a club record signing of Borja Bastón is reportedly imminent.
Although the headlines will tell you that Llorente missed a sitter on his debut last weekend – and he did – it should also be noted that the Stade Rennais defender in that match got a vital off-putting touch just before the Spaniard made contact with the ball, so fears of him being a complete flop are premature. The World Cup-winner may now be on the wrinkly side of 30, but he has still managed to average a goal every three league matches over the course of the past two seasons and there is always a chance he could get on the scoresheet – which would earn fans £26 for anyone betting a tenner at Bet365’s 13/5 odds.
If his countryman Bastón joins him from Atlético Madrid before the weekend, then the chances of Swansea leaving Turf Moor with a win should increase even more. That’s why the odds of 18/5 could prove excellent value.