Burnley vs Cardiff City. Premier League.
Turf MoorAttendance21,480.
Watch match highlights on the Sky Sports app from 5.15pm
Saturday 13 April 2019 08:17, UK
Sean Dyche will not relax even if Burnley defeat Cardiff, with his side still precariously placed in the Premier League.
What had looked a potential shoot-out for survival now appears a chance for the Clarets to secure their top-flight status after back-to-back wins over Wolves and Bournemouth.
That moved Burnley eight points ahead of the Bluebirds in the final relegation spot, and victory would extend the gap to 11 with only five games left for Neil Warnock's side.
But Dyche will wait until safety is mathematically assured before starting to breathe more easily at the end of an up-and-down campaign.
He said: "You can't guarantee it, because, like anyone, you want to work on facts, not maybes.
"I would suggest it [victory] would put us in a very strong position, but we certainly won't take anything for granted until we've looked after ourselves.
"We're on a very good run again, a very good turnover of points, but we've got to continue doing that because more points are needed, and that's our intention."
A strong run after Christmas looked to have turned things around for Burnley, only for four successive defeats to drag them right back into trouble.
But the performances against Wolves and Bournemouth were particularly impressive, with Burnley up amongst the big boys in the form table for 2019.
Dyche said: "Statistically, we're strong in the second half of the season. You can't guarantee results, but we think we can guarantee certain things in our performances, and the energy and the effort level has always been high. The last couple of games have been very strong physical performances."
Cardiff have defied many people's expectations by hanging on to their Premier League status for as long as they have, but look hot favourites to join Fulham in making an immediate return to the Championship.
Neil Warnock believes his side need 10 points from their remaining six games to "have any chance whatsoever" of ensuring Premier League survival.
After facing Burnley, Cardiff play Brighton, who are five points above them, next Tuesday in a crunch stage of their season.
"We are running out of time and points," Warnock said. "We need 10 points, really, to have any chance whatsoever."
Warnock has no doubt that his players are ready to fight for everything during a run-in that also includes clashes with Liverpool and Manchester United.
"I've never seen anything other than a fighting spirit," he added.
"I saw the desolation after the Chelsea game [in which Cardiff suffered a controversial 2-1 defeat], where we all felt we could have had more points on board. You can't take that away.
"The dressing room has not been like that this season, even when we have had poor results, but training has been good and they've really picked up. It's been bubbly again."
Phil Bardsley is a major doubt for Burnley's Premier League clash with Cardiff at Turf Moor on Saturday after suffering a freak injury.
The right-back missed last weekend's victory over Bournemouth after cutting his leg on a table tennis table - Matt Lowton impressed in his absence, so is set to keep his place.
Striker Peter Crouch may not play again this season after undergoing appendix surgery, while winger Aaron Lennon (knee) and midfielder Steven Defour (calf) also remain sidelined.
Harry Arter is a doubt with an ankle injury, but Jazz Richards is in contention following a hamstring problem.
Long-term absentees Callum Paterson (ankle), Sol Bamba (knee), Alex Smithies (knee), and Matthew Connolly (ankle) remain out.
Cardiff have to win, it's as simple as that. Burnley got a big result last week [away to Bournemouth], and they've got back to their old ways of last season, hard to play against.
When you come off you think, 'that was a difficult game'. I don't see anything but a Burnley win. Cardiff have to win, but Burnley are a handful when they're at their best.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0