Burnley vs Oxford United Prediction: Another drab affair expected

Burnley will have the opportunity to reduce the gap to Championship leaders Leeds United when they host Oxford United at Turf Moor on Tuesday (19:45, Sky Sports+). The Clarets are unbeaten in their past 17 fixtures in the second tier but have had to settle for quite a number of draws.

The visitors travel to Lancashire on an unbeaten run of their own which currently stretches to nine games in the league. There might be 15 places between them in the standings, but this could be another close encounter for the home team. Read on for my Burnley vs Oxford United prediction, supported by the latest match odds and team news.

Burnley vs Oxford United Odds

Burnley have won just one of their last six home games in the Championship but they are 4/9 to come out on top on Tuesday.

The other five have ended in stalemates, so the draw is a very attractive selection at 3/1, which has an implied probability of 25%. As well as this, Oxford's previous three away trips in the second tier ended with them sharing the spoils.

The U's are 15/2 to inflict a first home defeat of the campaign upon Burnley, but the visitors have just one away win all season.

Seven of the hosts' last eight matches in the league have produced under 2.5 goals, which is marketed at 8/13 (61.9%).

Football Odds

Team News

Burnley boss Scott Parker is having to cope with some injuries at the moment with Aaron Ramsey (cruciate ligament), Jordan Beyer (hamstring), Enock Agyei and Nathan Redmond (both leg) all confined to the treatment room.

Top scorer Josh Brownhill (nine league goals) and wide man Luca Koleosho were both absent from the goalless draw at Portsmouth on Saturday due to injury issues of their own, and both are doubtful to be involved at Turf Moor.

Veteran Jay Rodriguez has departed the Clarets to join League 1 promotion chasers Wrexham, so Parker is short of forward options.

Zian Flemming is expected to lead the line having scored five of Burnley's last nine competitive goals, while Lyle Foster has been deployed on the left flank in recent weeks. This leaves another old-timer, Ashley Barnes, as the only centre-forward in reserve.

The back four of Lucas Pires, Maxime Esteve, CJ Egan-Riley and Connor Roberts will remain intact, bar any late issues, due to their outstanding performances this season.

Oxford United are set to be without the services of Ben Nelson (hip), Elliott Moore (groin), Max Woltman (leg) and Owen Dale (muscle) due to injury. It is hoped that all should be able to return to action at some point in February.

After going nine games unbeaten in the Championship since taking the reins in December, boss Gary Rowett already appears to know what his best team is and he might opt for the same side that drew with Bristol City at the weekend.

Burnley or draw and under 1.5 goals @ 21/10

I must admit the draw does look really enticing at 3/1, but after so many stalemates of late, Burnley are in need of some wins if they are to keep pace with Leeds and Sheffield United.

Their defence and goalkeeper James Trafford have been exceptional throughout the campaign, conceding just nine goals in 30 matches, which means they are averaging 0.3 per game. The Clarets have recorded 21 clean sheets thus far, so the back five are playing their parts to perfection in this promotion push.

More could be asked of the attacking players, though, as their tally of 36 is the second-lowest of the teams currently placed within the top half. Burnley have also blanked in 11 of their matches so far, which amounts to 37 per cent.

When you are in a battle for automatic promotion, you cannot really afford that figure to be so high, so the attackers have a lot to thank the defensive players for.

That's why I think covering Burnley with the insurance of a draw on Tuesday is the smart play. They need to start putting more wins on the board and they cannot afford to fall further behind Leeds.

The odds have been boosted by the under 1.5 goals threshold because this has been a winning selection in six of the Claret's previous seven appearances in the second tier.

Both teams to score - No @ 8/15

Having already mentioned the amount of shutouts Burnley have recorded this term, this selection can come as no surprise. There have been 23 matches in which at least one team has failed to find the back of the net in which the Clarets have featured, and 10 of them have come on home turf.

The hosts' current run has seen BTTS - No strike in each of their eight latest outings in the Championship, and I think this trend will continue on Tuesday night.

Additionally, in Rowett's nine league games in charge of Oxford, this has been a winning bet on four occasions, two of which have come away from home.

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