Burnley vs Chelsea Preview, Prediction & Lineups Premier League 2025/26
Burnley vs Chelsea — Introduction
The Premier League action kicks off early this Saturday as Chelsea travel to Turf Moor to face a Burnley side fighting to keep their heads above water. Enzo Maresca’s Blues sit 3rd in the table but will be stinging after a shock home loss to Sunderland before the international break. They need an immediate response to stay in the title conversation with Arsenal and Man City.
For Burnley, the situation is becoming precarious. Sitting 17th and just outside the drop zone, Scott Parker’s men have shown flashes of quality—beating Wolves and Leeds recently—but their defensive fragility was exposed again in a 3-2 loss to West Ham. Can the Clarets exploit Chelsea’s growing injury list, or will the Londoners’ attacking depth prove too much?
Burnley vs Chelsea — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: Burnley vs Chelsea
- Competition: Premier League (Matchweek 12)
- Venue: Turf Moor, Burnley
- Date: Saturday, 22 November 2025
- Kickoff Time: 12:30 GMT / 13:30 CET / 18:00 IST
- Referee: Peter Bankes
- VAR: Rob Jones
- TV Channel (UK): TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate
- TV Channel (USA): USA Network, NBC Sports App
- TV Channel (India): Star Sports Select 1, Disney+ Hotstar
- Live Stream: Discovery+ (UK), JioStar (India)
Burnley vs Chelsea — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
Burnley:
- Position: 17th in the Premier League (10 Points).
- Form: Inconsistent. They have lost 3 of their last 5, including a tough 3-2 defeat at West Ham.
- Current Challenge: Fixing a leaky defense (8 goals conceded in 3 games) while coping with key injuries to their backline.
Chelsea:
- Position: 3rd in the Premier League (20 Points).
- Form: Generally strong, but coming off a 1-2 loss to Sunderland that snapped a good run.
- Current Challenge: navigating a massive injury crisis that has wiped out their first-choice defense (Colwill, Badiashile) and key playmaker (Cole Palmer).
Burnley vs Chelsea — What’s at Stake
For Burnley:
- Survival Buffer: With the relegation zone breathing down their necks, a point against a top-4 side would be gold dust. They need to make Turf Moor a fortress again.
For Chelsea:
- Title Credentials: You cannot lose back-to-back games if you want to chase Arsenal. A win is mandatory to prove the Sunderland loss was just a blip.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Team Form
Burnley (Last 5 Matches):
- L vs West Ham (2-3)
- L vs Arsenal (0-2)
- W vs Wolves (3-2)
- W vs Leeds (2-0)
- L vs Aston Villa (1-2)
Chelsea (Last 5 Matches):
- W vs Wolves (3-0)
- D vs Qarabag (2-2 – UCL)
- W vs Tottenham (1-0)
- W vs Wolves (4-3 – EFL)
- L vs Sunderland (1-2)
Burnley vs Chelsea — Team News
Burnley:
- Zeki Amdouni: Out (Knee Injury – Big loss in attack).
- Jordan Beyer: Out (Hamstring Injury).
- Quilindschy Hartman: Out (Illness).
- Connor Roberts: Out (Groin Injury).
- Lyle Foster: Available (Expected to lead the line).
- Luca Koleosho: Available (Key threat on the wing).
Chelsea:
- Cole Palmer: Out (Groin Injury – The team’s creative engine is missing).
- Mykhailo Mudryk: Suspended.
- Levi Colwill: Out (Knee Injury).
- Benoît Badiashile: Out (Muscle Injury).
- Roméo Lavia: Out (Thigh Injury).
- Dário Essugo: Out (Thigh Injury).
- Reece James: Available (Likely to start but minutes managed).
- Jadon Sancho: Available (Likely to replace Mudryk/Palmer).
Burnley vs Chelsea — Head to Head
- 30 Mar 2024: Chelsea 2–2 Burnley
- 07 Oct 2023: Burnley 1–4 Chelsea
- 05 Mar 2022: Burnley 0–4 Chelsea
- 06 Nov 2021: Chelsea 1–1 Burnley
- 31 Jan 2021: Chelsea 2–0 Burnley
Burnley vs Chelsea — Predicted Lineups
Burnley (4-2-3-1):
Parker has a defensive headache. Without Beyer and Roberts, Vitinho likely plays right-back.
- GK: James Trafford
- RB: Vitinho
- CB: Dara O’Shea
- CB: Maxime Estève
- LB: Lucas Pires
- CDM: Josh Cullen
- CDM: Sander Berge
- RW: Luca Koleosho
- CAM: Josh Brownhill
- LW: Wilson Odobert
- ST: Lyle Foster
Chelsea (4-2-3-1):
Maresca is forced to shuffle his pack. Tosin Adarabioyo comes in for Colwill. Nkunku likely plays the #10 role in Palmer’s absence.
- GK: Robert Sánchez
- RB: Reece James (C)
- CB: Wesley Fofana
- CB: Tosin Adarabioyo
- LB: Marc Cucurella
- CDM: Moisés Caicedo
- CDM: Enzo Fernández
- RW: Noni Madueke
- CAM: Christopher Nkunku
- LW: Jadon Sancho (Replacing the suspended Mudryk)
- ST: Nicolas Jackson
Burnley vs Chelsea — Tactical Outlook
Burnley:
- Playing Style: Brave but open. Scott Parker encourages playing out from the back, which invites pressure. Against Chelsea’s high press, this is risky. Expect them to look for Koleosho quickly in transition to attack the space behind Cucurella.
- Weakness: Set-Piece Defending. Burnley lack height without Beyer, and Chelsea (with Tosin/Fofana) are dangerous on corners.
Chelsea:
- Playing Style: “Maresca-Ball” relies on control, but without Palmer, the creativity must come from the wings. Expect Madueke and Sancho to stay wide to stretch Burnley’s compact block, creating lanes for Nkunku and Jackson centrally.
- Strength: Midfield Dominance. Even with injuries, the Caicedo-Enzo pivot is miles ahead of Burnley’s midfield in technical quality.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas Pires vs. Noni Madueke | Speed vs. Skill: Madueke loves to cut inside. Pires must show him down the line or risk conceding shots. | Chelsea |
| Josh Cullen vs. Christopher Nkunku | The Space Invader: Nkunku will drift between the lines. If Cullen loses him, Nkunku will feed Jackson all day. | Chelsea |
| Maxime Estève vs. Nicolas Jackson | Pace Duel: Jackson runs the channels relentlessly. Estève is quick but prone to lapses in concentration. | Even |
Burnley vs Chelsea — Spotlight Players
Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea):
With Cole Palmer out, Nkunku is the main man. He has to link the midfield and attack. His ability to turn in tight spaces will be crucial against Burnley’s low block. If he ticks, Chelsea wins.
Luca Koleosho (Burnley):
The Italian winger is electric. With Chelsea’s high line, he is Burnley’s best outlet. If he can isolate Marc Cucurella or catch Reece James upfield, he can create shock moments.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Statistical Snapshot
| Metric | Burnley | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|
| League Position | 17th (10 Points) | 3rd (20 Points) |
| Last 5 Form | L-L-W-W-L | W-D-W-W-L |
| Goals Scored | 14 | 21 |
| Goals Conceded | 22 | 11 |
| Away Record | N/A | 5W, 1L (Strong Away) |
Explanation: Chelsea are actually better away from home this season than at Stamford Bridge. Burnley have conceded the 3rd most goals in the league (22), which spells trouble against Chelsea’s attack.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Fan Reactions
Burnley Fans:
“No Amdouni creates a huge hole up top. We need Foster to step up.”
“Chelsea just lost to Sunderland… maybe they are vulnerable? We have to believe.”
Chelsea Fans:
“Palmer out, Colwill out, Lavia out… this injury list is a joke.”
“Nkunku needs to run the show today. No excuses for losing to 17th place.”
Burnley vs Chelsea — Where to Watch
- UK: TNT Sports 1
- USA: USA Network
- India: Star Sports Select 1, JioStar
- Australia: Optus Sport
Burnley vs Chelsea — Match-Defining Factors
- Life Without Palmer: Chelsea’s attack often looks disjointed without Cole Palmer. Can Nkunku and Sancho provide the creative spark, or will they look stagnant?
- Burnley’s High Turnover Rate: Burnley lose the ball in their own third frequently. Chelsea’s press (led by Jackson/Madueke) will aim to punish these errors instantly.
- The Early Kickoff Curse: 12:30 PM kickoffs are notoriously sleepy. If Burnley can frustrate Chelsea for the first 30 minutes, the crowd will grow into the game.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Prediction
Score Prediction: Burnley 1–3 Chelsea
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Chelsea to Win & Over 2.5 Goals.
- First Goalscorer: Nicolas Jackson (Burnley concede early often).
- Corner Count: Chelsea Over 6.5 Corners (They will dominate possession and force saves).
Analysis: Despite the injuries, Chelsea’s squad depth is superior. Burnley’s brave style plays right into Chelsea’s hands—Maresca’s side loves playing against teams that open up. Expect Jackson and Nkunku to exploit the space Burnley leaves behind.
Burnley vs Chelsea — Final Word
This feels like a potential “banana skin” for Chelsea given their injury list, but Burnley’s defensive naivety makes them the perfect opponent for the Blues to bounce back against. While Turf Moor will be hostile, the quality gap in midfield (Caicedo/Enzo vs Cullen/Berge) is simply too wide to ignore. Expect a professional, high-scoring win for the visitors.
Burnley vs Chelsea — FAQs
When is the Burnley vs Chelsea match?
The match is on Saturday, 22 November 2025, at 12:30 GMT (18:00 IST).
Is Cole Palmer playing?
No, Cole Palmer is ruled out with a groin injury. Christopher Nkunku is expected to replace him in the #10 role.
Why is Mykhailo Mudryk not playing?
Mudryk is serving a suspension for this match.
Where can I watch Chelsea vs Burnley in India?
The match will be live on Star Sports Select 1 and streamed on JioStar.
Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community
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