Preview: Burnley vs. Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

With Premier League relegation confirmed, Burnley have little to play for on Sunday, as they welcome Europa League finalists Aston Villa to Turf Moor in gameweek 36.

Unlike their hosts, Unai Emery’s men have a lot riding on this weekend’s outcome, and they will look to extend their impressive record against relegated teams while staving off late pressure to retain the fifth Champions League spot.

Match preview

It took only eight minutes into Burnley's visit to Leeds United last week to realise where both sides' motivation lay in the opening match of the league's 35th round.

With the Clarets' return to the Championship confirmed and Scott Parker departing on the eve of the game, the Lancashire club faced a losing battle at Elland Road before a ball was kicked.

Two more concessions early in the second half put the game further out of reach for Burnley before Loum Tchaouna's 71st-minute consolation goal gave the visitors a more respectable feel.

Now winless in nine top-flight games since a stunning 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace from 2-0 down, seven of which have been losses, Mike Jackson's men hope to avoid a sixth consecutive league defeat.

Their overall form in that period is a joint-low with Chelsea, while their results in 2026 — one win, five draws and 10 defeats — are worse than those of the other 19 clubs.

Given their current situation, it will take a motivated performance to avoid a fourth consecutive loss against the Europa League finalists this weekend.

While Villa were always going to head to Turf Moor as favourites, given the chasm in quality between the two sides, ending a three-match losing run to secure a place in this season's Europa League final undoubtedly boosts those chances even further.

Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins both scored and assisted, and John McGinn netted a brace in the final 15 minutes to seal a historic success for Emery's troops, who inflicted the heaviest defeat on an English side by another English side, overturned last week's 1-0 loss, and set up May 20’s final date with Freiburg.

Sunday's outcome against the Clarets will depend on avoiding the dreaded hangover following Thursday's success, which gives the Villans a safety net of still making next season's Champions League, even if they somehow manage to blow their advantage in that race via the league.

Emery's team currently occupy fifth place in the table, six points clear of Bournemouth with three games remaining, though they do not hold a significant advantage on goal difference. Putting all their eggs in the Europa League basket will be ill-advised, especially considering Bournemouth are unbeaten in the league since January, so Villa's Premier League motivation ought to stay high ahead of this weekend’s trip to Lancashire.

The away side head to the Clarets' home on a three-match winning streak in this fixture, and they have a record of five wins and three draws in nine matches against teams that have lost their top-flight status, albeit that loss came against this weekend's hosts in May 2015.

Nonetheless, they should back themselves heading into a fixture against an opponent with just one win in their last 26 matches at this level.

Burnley Premier League form:

Aston Villa Premier League form:

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

Team News

Although Axel Tuanzebe is nearing a return from an Achilles injury, Josh Cullen (knee), Connor Roberts (Achilles) and Jordan Beyer (hamstring) remain sidelined.

Despite Aston Villa's ongoing five-match winless run away from home, Martin Dubravka, who has already made 127 saves this season, should expect another busy Sunday afternoon in Lancashire.

While Zian Flemming needs one more goal to match ex-Burnley forwards Danny Ings and Chris Wood in reaching double figures in league goals, the Dutchman has scored eight of his nine strikes outside Turf Moor.

Villa, meanwhile, seemed to avoid injury setbacks on Thursday night, but the Europa League finalists head into this weekend's match without long-term absentee Boubacar Kamara (knee), Amadou Onana (calf) and Alysson.

Buendia has had a hand in five goals as a substitute this season, scoring four and assisting one, and the Argentina international could add to that and surpass Marlon Harewood's 2007-08 record if he starts on the bench after Thursday's exertions.

Although Emery will be keen to end the club's five-match winless away run, the Spanish manager could also hand rests to McGinn and Watkins, with Jadon Sancho and Tammy Abraham starting, respectively.

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Dubravka; Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Hartman; Humphreys, Laurent, Ward-Prowse; Tchaouna, Flemming, Anthony

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Cash, Lindelof, Mings, Maatsen; Bogarde, Tielemans; Sancho, Barkley, Rogers; Abraham

We say: Burnley 1-2 Aston Villa

Although Aston Villa’s recent away form offers Burnley a glimmer of encouragement, the hosts’ poor run and lack of cutting edge make it difficult to back them against a side chasing Champions League qualification.

If the visitors avoid any European hangover, they should edge Sunday’s contest, all but ending Bournemouth’s chances of overtaking them.

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