Ah, Burnley in the early summer sunshine. Is there any finer place to be? Don't answer that. Four games to go, European qualification in the balance - time for Eddie's boys to pull out an actual away performance. Lee Forster has your preview musings.

So, here we are then...the 'business end' of the season.

But before we get onto tomorrow's game, I ask you to cast your mind back to 10pm on 1st January 2024: an injury riddled Newcastle United has just received its annual Anfield spanking - a 5th reverse in 6 PL games that arrived hot on the heels of defeats to Everton, Spurs, Luton, and Forest. The Mags sat a lowly 9th in the Premier League behind Brighton, West Ham, and the rest of the usual suspects...it felt like our season was on the verge of becoming a write off.

Now I may be in the minority here, but if you'd offered me the current league table back then - i.e. 7th with 4 games to go and a great chance of 6th, and a not so great chance of 5th - I'd have taken your arm off in a heartbeat!

None of us need reminding of the unprecedented adversity faced this season: Tonali's ban, 3 dislocated shoulders, 2 broken backs, 2 ACL's, stubbed toes, and ripped tits that keep players out for 3 months. The list goes on and on...Nuffield Health shareholders have never had it so good.

It is for these reasons I'd suggest that achieving any sort of European spot this season would almost be as remarkable as last season's logic-defying Champions League qualification.

Anyway, Burnley...

Sod's law dictates that we arrive at Turf Moor to take on The Clarets smack bang in the middle of their best form in an otherwise terrible season - having lost their first 7 fixtures on home turf (a PL record that will surely stand for years to come), Kompany's men have lost only 1 (Everton away) of their previous 8 league fixtures, a run of games that included trips to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.

Sliding doors - What might have been

That being said their home form is still shite, and this will ultimately be the primary reason they are relegated by the end of May: 2 wins and 4 draws from 17 games (exactly the same as Sheff Utd) and a goal difference of -20. With a record like that the locals must contemplate pouring bleach in their eyes before home fixtures, surely?

Barring the pacy Luca Koleosho, Burnley head into the game with no notable injuries or suspensions, so Kompany will likely go with his trusted 4-4-2 formation spearheaded by Fofana (4 goals) and Foster (5 goals), while Odobert (4 goals) on the right flank will ensure Lewis Hall is kept honest.

Their back line, however, is as reliable as a cheesecloth condom and Isak, Gordon et al should be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a defensive unit that has conceded 70 goals so far this season and contains the hapless Arijanet Muric: make no mistake, this is a game that we should, and must win, if we have any aspirations of overtaking the utterly atrocious Manchester Reds.

Lewis Hall - Our Transfer Blueprint

Eddie's presser this morning was a mixed bag: the bad news was that we won't be seeing Fabian Schar's handsome face again until next season (any female Mags affected by this news should call the Samaritans for advice and support), whilst the lesser spotted Kieran Trippier is still a week or two away from a return. The good news from this morning, however, was VERY good, with Eddie intimating that Joelinton, Miggy, and 'Neek' Pope are on the verge of a return to the matchday squad.

For me, the loss of 'Big Joe' and Pope for such protracted periods of this season cannot be underestimated - in different ways they are both instrumental in how Eddie wants us to play: Pope's starting position sees the entire team playing 10-15 yards further up the pitch, while Joelinton's physicality and engine gives Bruno the licence and opportunity to demonstrate his creativity without having to concern himself with performing his ill-suited 'midfield enforcer' role. The return of Miggy is an added bonus if Gordon, Barnes, or Murphy are having an off day.

I don't expect any of these potential returnees to start, so barring Krafth for Schar and possibly Barnes for Murphy, I expect to see the same starting line-up that eventually delivered a comfortable 5-1 win last time out.

Despite their upturn in form, I have to say I fancy us to take three points tomorrow and heap the pressure on Manchester Reds - a win of any kind puts us two points clear of them ahead of their visit to Selhurst Park on Monday: let's just hope they face the Oliver Glasner version of the Eagles and not Woy Hodgson's.

If you are of a betting persuasion, I'll be lumping my 50p on a 3-1 win with AG10 as an anytime scorer @24.64/1 (Paddy Power).

Lee Forster @LeeDForster