Burnley can move to within a point of Everton with a win at Turf Moor this evening, in what could prove to be a massive week in their battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Sean Dyche’s side prepare to welcome the Toffees knowing that victory would give them a huge boost ahead of a visit to bottom of the table Norwich City on Sunday.

And Clarets fans will be encouraged by the fact that Everton have triumphed on just one of their past five Premier League visits to Turf Moor, as they look to avoid a return to the Championship for the first time since 2016.

So, with three league wins all season and four consecutive defeats heading into tonight’s crunch match, is there still a sense of optimism amongst the Burnley faithful or are fans fearing the worst?

“It’s a massive few days, let’s be honest,” Joe from TurfCast tells FansBet.

“We’re essentially coming into what is a 10 game season, so the next two are absolutely massive.

“The entire season boils down to these two matches and absolute minimum we have to win at least one.”

Burnley’s tally of just three victories this season is the lowest of any Premier League team and leaves them in deep trouble at the foot of the Premier League.

What’s more, the Clarets have conceded 10 goals without reply across their last four outings – a sequence that leaves them with a mountain to climb if they are to clamber out of the bottom three.

They have now gone more than 400 minutes without scoring in the Premier League – an own goal by Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic in February’s 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.

✅ “We now have to win four games out of 10 at the very least.”

🙏 “Win tonight, and the optimism comes back.”

⬆️ “Tonight is the start of it, if we are to stay up.” @JoeTomRed of @TurfCastPodcast shares his thoughts ahead of #twitterclarets' six-pointer vs. Everton… pic.twitter.com/xumFPFs7Tn

— FansBet (@FansBet) April 6, 2022

And fans know that a fifth league defeat in a row, particularly against one of the teams in and around them in the table, would give their fellow relegation strugglers something of a cushion with just nine games left.

“At the very least we must not get beaten on Wednesday,” says Joe.

“Everton are the only team we can realistically catch now, so if they go seven points ahead of us with nine games left, it’s not doable.

“As supporters, we want to see some fight and passion from the players in these games.

“I’m not saying they don’t care but the way that they are playing, whether it’s the system that’s restricting them, I’m not sure.

“But they are not playing with fire and passion and getting in teams’ faces, which Burnley are known for.

“So I just want to see a bit of determination and intensity.”

Wednesday’s clash is the first of two huge games for Sean Dyche and his side, who travel to fellow strugglers Norwich City on Sunday afternoon.

The Canaries have endured a pretty miserable campaign themselves and, though they have actually recorded one more victory than Burnley, they are seven points off safety as it stands.

So with two huge games in just five days, and survival still a slim possibility, what would Joe like to see from his side that hasn’t been evident for much of this season?

“We are a shadow of the team we used to be,” he says.

“At very least you used to know that Burnley would leave absolutely everything out on the pitch but I don’t have that confidence in the players this season.

“I feel like they’re going into these games and they don’t show up so I’ve not got much confidence that we can do it this season.

“We’ve won three games all season and now at the very least we need to win four games out of 10 maybe five depending on the results around us.

“So for me, there’s no optimism there but win against Everton and it will come back – but it’s the hope that kills you.”

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