Aston Villa v Burnley LIVE commentary and team news: Clarets love playing on a Thursday and must win in Premier League relegation battle

Burnley take on Aston Villa in the Premier League this evening as the Clarets look to ease their relegation fears before the last day of the season.

The away side have a game in hand on Leeds and could move two points clear of the Whites before Sunday.

Burnley were denied a point against Tottenham last time out after Harry Kane scored a controversial penalty.

Ashley Barnes was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, and after a lengthy VAR check, a spot kick was awarded.

The Clarets pushed in the second half and had chances to take something.

And if they play like that on Thursday, the away side stand a good chance of claiming some valuable points.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard’s team are still chasing a top-ten finish and will want to end the season on a high after an average campaign.

Burnley’s fate is in their hands, but they need to take at least a draw from this fixture. If they don’t, Leeds will probably be favourites to stay up.

Aston Villa v Burnley: talkSPORT coverage

This Premier League clash will take place on Thursday, May 19 at Villa Park with kick off at 8pm.

The match will be exclusively live on talkSPORT and coverage will start at 7pm with Hugh Woozencroft.

Commentary will come from Sam Matterface and former Burnley striker Chris Iwelumo.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2, click  HERE for the live stream.

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Aston Villa v Burnley: Team news

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Chambers, Mings, Digne, Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Buendia, Watkins, Chukwuemeka

Subs: Sanson, Traore, Young, Nakamba, Ings, Coutinho, Olsen,
Iroegbunam, Feeney

Burnley: Pope, Roberts, Long, Collins, Tarkowski, Taylor, Brownhill, Cork, McNeil, Cornet, Barnes

Subs: Lowton, Weghorst, Hennessey, Stephens, Lennon, Bardsley, Thomas, Dodgson, Costelloe

Aston Villa v Burnley: What has been said?

Burnley interim manager Mike Jackson: “We know if we get a certain amount of points from these last two games it’s in our hands. This group works better when we play in the now, mentally we’re in a good place. Everybody in the whole place is trying to do their bit, everyone is all in.”

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard: “We will be aggressive, we played them recently and played extremely well. “It will be a challenge, we know their strengths and they have given themselves a decent chance of survival.”

Aston Villa v Burnley: Match stats

• Burnley have won 38% of their Premier League games on Thursdays (3/8), their best win rate on a single day of the week. Those three wins have come in their last five such games (D1 L1), with the Clarets also keeping four clean sheets in that run.
• Following their 3-1 win at Turf Moor earlier this month, Aston Villa are looking to complete their first league double over Burnley since the 1925-26 campaign. They won 10-0 against them at Villa Park that season, their joint-biggest margin of victory in their Football League history.
• Burnley have lost just one of their last seven away league games against Aston Villa (W3 D3), going down 5-2 in February 2010. They’re unbeaten in their last three league visits to Villa Park, only having a longer run without defeat there once (4 games between 1930 and 1947).
• Aston Villa have won their final home league game in each of the last two seasons, beating Arsenal 1-0 in 2019-20 and Chelsea 2-1 last term. They last won their final home game in three consecutive campaigns between 2000-01 and 2002-03.
• Burnley have lost their final away league game in four of the last five seasons, winning the other against already relegated Norwich City in 2019-20.
• Aston Villa haven’t won any of their last seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League home games (D3 L4) since a 1-0 win against Arsenal in July 2020.
• Aston Villa have opened the scoring in each of their last four Premier League games, their longest run since a run of five in April/May last season. However, the Villans have failed to go on to win either of their last two, losing 2-1 against Liverpool and drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace.
• Burnley have won just two of their last 19 Premier League away games (D7 L10), with only bottom side Norwich (11) scoring fewer goals on the road this term than the Clarets (15).
• Only already-relegated sides Norwich (21) and Watford (18) have failed to score in more different Premier League games this season than Burnley (16). Only in 2014-15 (18) and 2020-21 (17) have the Clarets failed to find the net in more different Premier League matches.
• Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has scored three goals in his last four Premier League games, as many as he had in his previous 14 league appearances. If he scores here, it will be his 50th home goal in English league football (excluding play-offs).