Morning all.
Tonights game is massive, probably one of the biggest of the domestic season so far. Sounds stupid I know as every game is a big one but the Premier League title is just six points away from being secured. It doesn’t matter what Man City do if Arsenal win tonight and again on Sunday.
Personally, I’d rather not see anyone but Cristhian Mosquera at right back. This isn’t the time to try something different in my opinion. The players have had a bit of a break so should be feeling fresh in the legs and focussed in the mind. Nerves will be jangling I’m sure but that’s a good thing. Nerves mean one cares about getting something right.
Burnley will be out to spoil things for us, of course they will but it’s up to Mikel Arteta and his players to stop them from succeeding.
Burnley have really struggled in the Premier League since achieving promotion from the Championship last summer and have been stuck in the relegation places for yonks. They’ve won just four fixtures all season. After Scott Parker was sacked just a few weeks ago, Mike Jackson stepped in for the final few matches. A 3-1 battering by Leeds on the road was followed by a 2-2 draw with Villa at Turf Moor. They’ve conceded 73 goals so far and scored 37.
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:
Jackson lined up in a pragmatic 5-4-1 at Leeds, which changed against Aston Villa, with Burnley causing plenty of problems in a more adventurous 4-2-3-1 shape. However a back five has been used in 19 of their 36 league games.
Burnley’s average possession is just 41.6%, the lowest in the division. Where possible, they like to move the ball out to quick wingers such as Jaidon Anthony [above] and Loum Tchaouana, and supporting full-backs in the shape of Kyle Walker or Brazilian Lucas Pires.
In a tough campaign, the Clarets’ finishing has been very good, and a shot conversion rate of 41.5% can only be bettered by three other clubs. Covering the fifth-most distance as a team, they are also incredibly industrious, especially inside the engine room where Florentino, Lesley Ugochukwu and Hannibal are always on the move.
However they have faced over 600 shots during 2025/26, and boast an expected goals against figure of 71.98 too – easily the highest tallies in the division. For a side with little possession, they will also be hugely disappointed to have conceded a joint-high seven goals from fast breaks, and considering they often have three centre-backs in place, it will also be a source of frustration to have let in 14 goals from headers.
A shot conversion rate at 41% is very good so we better make sure we don’t gift them many chances. We certainly didn’t in the away fixture as Burnley were restricted to just three goal scoring opportunities, none of which were on target. We however had twelve shots with eight on target, two of which ended up in the back of the net.
Mikel Arteta is three short of having a fully fit squad to select from, that is assuming Jurrien Timber hasn’t made a miraculous recovery since our last game. Having two out injured in the same position is a pain in the butt however, as suggested earlier, Mosquera is an excellent option to have. I think the team pretty much picks itself today although perhaps with a question mark over who starts in central midfield, Myles Lewis-Skelly or Martin Zubimendi.
Mikel Arteta:
The only thing that we have to do is earn the right to be better than the opposition. That’s going to lead to giving a big probability to win the game and then the rest might come. But we need to do that, and when you watched them play a few days ago against Aston Villa, you know that it’s going to be a tough game.
I think it’s going to be a tough game tonight too and it’s good that Burnley stood up to Villa, albeit the latter were far from being at their best, because it should have focused the minds within the camp. We have to earn the right to win and not expect Jackson’s team to simply turn up and go through the motions.
The world of football outside of Arsenal will want the title to go down to the wire I’m sure, hoping that City can snatch it from us on the final day of the season. We simply cannot let that happen. Please Arsenal, do not let it happen. Do not do anything rash, do not give the officials a big decision to make but most importantly, play to the strengths we all know these players possess.
Fans, be loud, be proud and help push this group of players to one more home win.
Catch up in the comments.
Thanks Rico. A fine preview from your good self. Adrian is always on the money with his thoughts on tactics. I listen to his always astute contributions on ‘Handbrake off”. He was a fine player, too.
Just about to get some shut eye now, but will join you on line before kick off. I’ve read that Dembele went off early in the PSG game apparently injured. But that’s for another day. It’s all about Burnley now. Standing on the cusp…
Good morning Rico.
Excellent pre-game post, thank you.
I believe there is to be another mass welcome by the fans this evening, hopefully that will spill over into a raucous atmosphere in the ground with no moans and groans.
Thanks all for the kind birthday words yesterday, we had a very good get together.
Morning Stuart, Cicero. Thanks
Hope your birthday celebrations went well Cicero.
Can’t wait for the game, I’m already nervous..
I like the fans welcome for the players, brings them together, united as one.
Going tonight for what I hope is a rip roaring performance to match what I am sure will be a stadium full of anticipation
The team whoever plays needs to at their peak and put the points to bed as early as possible and then keep going to boost the goal difference.
Tomorrow we will all be glued to the events not a million miles from your new abode Rico and that may be as nerve wracking as tonight might become if we don’t start on the front foot.
Spot on Potter, start fast and with intent. Just as we did against Fulham.
Then sit for 95 minutes tomorrow with fingers and toes crossed.
The things we do for football , Leaving home at 3 to pick my son up , reckon he might get back about 1.30 if we miss the lap of honour. Nearer 2 am for me . 11 hours and 260 mile drive .
I must be nuts.
As Roy Castle used to say… “That’s dedication….”
Match day is always exciting,this is special,the tension building all week.
A better kick off time for our fans in Australia/New Zealand,well early morning anyway,my son in Queensland says he will watch some of the game before work.
The same line up as the last few games I reckon,I read Burnley haven’t lost to a top 6 side in 2026,doesn’t sound right to me,they haven’t played Arsenal anyway.
COYG
Morning HH. It is a kinder ko time, Limey. But I’ll be up at 1.30am next week for the Palace game. If Potter and his son can go those extra miles, what is it for me to give up a little sleep. Wouldn’t get much sleep anyway… COYG
Poorly drawn Arsenal has penned some beautiful words: https://www.poorlydrawnarsenal.com/do-it-for-him/?ref=poorly-drawn-arsenal-newsletter
Kai starts up top.
That’s some dedication SNH.
A little surprised at first with that line up but thinking about it Viktor is fantastic coming off the bench.
Team to play Burnley: Raya, Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Odegaard, Eze, Saka, Havertz, Trossard.
Subs: Kepa, Hincapie, Jesus, Martinelli, Gyokeres, Madueke, Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman.
Really don’t get Havertz starting, hope it doesn’t backfire
Me too Limey. If it’s not broken, why try and fix it..
No Zubimendi or MLS 😳😳
Odegaard and Eze starting is risky, neither are good defensively and may well see Rice overrun midfield. I hope Arteta knows what he is doing.
Bonkers imo, bordering on arrogant too in my opinion.
Evening all, Unlucky Trossard, great effort
Apparently, Guardiola is leaving City at the end of the season.
https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-15827009/pep-guardiola-manchester-city-quits.html
Odegaard and Havertz are slowing us down.
Great header Havertz.
Well I guess the pressure wore them down. Poor defending at the corner left Havertz with a free header.
I would like to see Gyokeres on for Odegaard with Havertz playing off him. Either M L S or Zubimendi can replace the largely ineffective Eze.
Clever corner tactics. Short, short, short, short, short, long: bang King Kai rises.
Patient, dominant, quick, slick, aggressive, this is a fine performance. Thus far.
We need a second..
Lucky lucky Havertz. That was a shocker!
Didn’t expect such a nervy watch tonight!
Me neither, thought we’d have a bit more control.
7 mins.
Thank goodness for that!
I’m exhausted…
So far so good but not dominating near yhe goal
One goal, clean sheet, three points, almost there….but not quite yet. 🔔
Tell me why I don’t mind Mondays
I’m gonna rejoice the whole day long.
Halelujia!
Never any doubt, come on the 🍒🍒🍒!!!
Yes Lee ‘Come on you Beautiful Cherries’…
Pep is leaving and that is gonna have a definite psychological effect on the City team so I can see a draw coming up…
We March On…
Good morning Rico and every eighty pointer here with the sun on their face
Another step in the right direction. Just a 1-0 win.
Good? Yes
Disapppointed? Yes as well. For various reasons not just the performance.
So Pep is leaving?? Imo, whatever the world thinks of him I dont think he is a great manager. He has done good because he managed big clubs and had good players. Simple as that. Give him the disaster we were in when Emery went!!! Where he had to give identity and direction to us. Give him the shambles that is Tottenham!! Where he has to build from scratch. Give him the Leicester City that Ranieri took over. Where he had to field players who did not cost much. Give him the chaos of Chelsea where no one is ever sure of himself or herself.
So no. Dont tell me he is a good manager because he won. Even SAF built Man Utd in his own way and succeded. Pep never was and never will be like that.
Kev, where is your trademark, Nos Marchammos?? Its iconic of your self as much as the comment made by Cicero after every win.
Harvaetz should have been sent off.
1-0. 3 points to go.
Afternoon Rico and all, Happy we won, but another struggle to score against lower teams, now praying that City get beat.
Yes, Dev. I agree, Pep has taken on the management of three of the wealthiest clubs in the game at a time when they were already competing at the very highest levels. It’s men like Herbert Chapman, Brian Clough, Bill Shankly, Matt Busby and Don Revie who got to the top the hard way. Mikel has done a phenomenal job, transforming the club and the squad, signing Raya, Declan, Gabriel, Leandro, Kai, Timber, Eze…, challenging the owners to invest, winning over the fanbase, getting us back into that stratosphere which Arsene made commonplace for many of his years.
Was not Leo magnificent today? He’s hitting his straps at a vital time. O Lord, let Justin get himself fit for Budapest.
Any of you HH’ers ready to predict a starting X1 for the Final?
Morning all.
New post up now.
Guardiola’s Man City career should be remembered for how he achieved all he did. By fiddling the books…
We are top of the league , I said , we are top of the league !
That’s where the celebrations stop because yesterday the performance was dire.
Eze , Odegaard and Havertz together didn’t work as they are all too similar in their play. As an attacking force they allowed them selves to be completely nullified and we seemed content to play out a 1 nil win . As the second half progressed the crowd was getting edgy and we all could see the league going up in smoke with one attack.
The rumble in the crowd was growing , we were so slow building and when Leo and Saka did get behind their defence there was no=one in the middle to aim for .
All three of the above mentioned spend their time looking for space , Odegaard is a quarterback turning in circles looking for the perfect pass.Eze was seemingly under instructions to supply the captain and it seemed that every move had to be played to him and the frustration of the crowd grew.
Someone remarked that watching Odegaard is like watching your wife in Primark .You go in looking for a dress and she looks at one it’ fits and looks good , she then spends 20 minutes looking at everything else and then goes back to the first one.
In football that means that the first option is now too late and we go back to Raya to start again.
Suddenly things changed with the substitutions , we had someone that injected energy , someone that looked dangerous , someone that led the line and put their defence on the back foot.
It took until to 70th minute to see what the crowd had worked out at half time and as much as I like Calafiori, Hincapie , Skelly and especially Gyokeres have to start otherwise a better team than Burnley will upset our applecart .
At the end , we had the lap of appreciation many of the north bank lower left at the final whistle .
The thing is as we said in the pizza house after , as you stand behind the goal you can see the spaces , you see the chances and you can see the way that they are not being taken .
Yes We are top of the league but the mood on the North bank was depressed and frustrated.
BTW got home at 2.45