Keane hopes to end away game hoodoo
MICHAEL KEANE would love Burnley’s first away win of the season to come at Anfield today.
He admits Sean Dyche’s squad have become tired of discussing their travelling woes.
The Clarets play their 14th Premier League game of the season away from Turf Moor at Liverpool on Sunday and all but two of their 31 points have come in their own stadium.
It is a monkey they have failed to dislodge from their back even when visiting Accrington and Sunderland in cup competitions, and Dyche’s 12th-placed side cannot escape the questions about it given they are currently in the midst of a four-game run on their travels.
“It’s something we did talk about, we spoke about it a lot but now I feel like we’ve got bored of going over the same things over and over again,” Keane admitted.
“We’ve got points on the board – no matter how they come we’re in a good position so we go into every game the same way. It’s just not been happening for us. It would have been good to nick a point at Swansea but we didn’t deserve it, if we’re honest.
“It’s a great place to go and play so we’ll be up for it and everyone is really determined to get over this away form.
“We don’t really talk about it too much any more but it’s still in the back of our heads and we’re desperate to put it right.”
If there is any encouragement for the Clarets, it will come from Liverpool’s own record against teams in the lower half of the table.
Leicester, Hull and Swansea have all recorded victories over Jurgen Klopp’s Reds in 2017 and Burnley’s first Premier League success of the campaign came back in August when, despite having just 19% possession, they recorded a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor.
They have also drawn at Old Trafford and taken a point off leaders Chelsea so the prospect of meeting another of the division’s bigger clubs holds no fear for Keane.
“We’re a team who are difficult to play against,” he added. “No matter who comes up against us it’s not easy to roll us over and win 3-0 or 4-0.”
Dyche will be able to call upon Joey Barton on Sunday as the midfielder’s FA hearing into betting offences was postponed on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton will return having overcome illness but Steven Defour, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Dean Marney are all injured.
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