How Burnley performed in pre-season and what Tottenham should expect
Tottenham will host Burnley this weekend in the opener for their Premier League campaign.
Thomas Frank will take charge of his first Premier League game as Spurs boss when Scott Parker's Burnley make the trip to North London.
The Clarets will be looking to cause an immediate upset in their first season back in the top flight, while Tottenham will be keen to get off to a good start and ensure that last season's misery isn't repeated.
Looking ahead to the clash, Tottenham News takes a look at Burnley's pre-season and what Spurs can expect to see at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend.
Burnley have had a shaky pre-season
Frank will be pleased with how Tottenham's pre-season has panned out, though the same cannot be said for Parker and his Burnley side.
The Clarets have won just one of their four encounters this summer, which happened to be their first friendly against Huddersfield.
Since then, Burnley have drawn with Shrewsbury and lost to Stoke City and Lazio.
- Huddersfield 0-2 Burnley
- Shrewsbury 2-2 Burnley
- Stoke 1-0 Burnley
- Burnley 0-1 Lazio
The main takeaway will be that the Clarets have conceded in all but one of their pre-season friendlies, and having found their success in the Championship through their defensive solidity, it will be a slight concern.
CJ Egan Riley left in the summer, as did James Trafford, though they were handed a boost when Tottenham-linked Maxim Esteve extended his stay at Turf Moor.
What Burnley will bring to Tottenham
First and foremost, this will be a game that Tottenham are expected to win, and the fallout should that not be the case will be massive.
Burnley are almost everyone's pick to finish bottom of the Premier League, though they will be keen to prove their doubters wrong.
Under Parker, they conceded just 16 goals last season, showcasing that their entire style of play is built around being solid at the back.
- 2nd place finish in the Championship
- Least goals conceded (16)
- 2nd most goals scored (69)
Former Tottenham prospect Marcus Edwards is likely to make an appearance, while the likes of Kyle Walker will also return to North London.
Although they prioritise defending, they have several players who could cause a threat going forward, and Spurs need to be prepared to face that.
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