England Premier League Media

Burnley defender Leon Cort says every player in the Clarets squad needs to take responsibility for the club’s poor form away from Turf Moor.

The Clarets have only picked up one point on the road this season and Cort is aware Saturday’s trip to Arsenal adds further pressure.

“You start defending from the front,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“When we go a goal down we seem to lose our shape but we have to believe we can get back in the game straight away.”

Burnley’s only away point came in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City in November.

They also impressed with their first-half performance against Carling Cup finalists Aston Villa, despite eventually going on to concede four second-half goals in a 5-2 defeat.

But Cort accepts they face a daunting task at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

“They’re one of the best teams in the world,” he said.

“They got a great result against Stoke last week and they’ll want to carry that on.

“But a lot of the lads are still confident that we can stay up and Saturday’s game is a chance to prove a lot of people wrong.

“No-one in the country probably believes we can go there and get something, but we have to believe we can.

“Losing at home against Portsmouth last week was a blow but we need to change that round as soon as we can.”

You can hear full commentary from the Emirates Stadium on Saturday on BBC Radio Lancashire from 1500 GMT.

Burnley manager Brian Laws says he understands why a section of the club’s supporters booed his side during Saturday’s defeat by Portsmouth.

The Clarets have only picked up one win since Laws took over from Owen Coyle in January – in the 2-1 home win over West Ham on 6 February.

“I think it’s very understandable,” Laws told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“It was more a not-lose than a must-win game. Each point you gain in the Premier League is a big one.”

Burnley are currently just one point from safety with 11 games remaining this season.

They travel to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday looking to add to their meagre tally of just one point on the road – gained at Manchester City in November.

But with back-to-back home games against Stoke and Wolves further ahead Laws is keen to avoid panic setting in among both players and supporters.

“It’s not like it’s our last game of the season with no comeback,” he said.

“There’s a lot of games to be played and a lot of points at stake. If we can’t pick our points at home we have to pick them up away.

“Just let’s hope when the season ends we’ve achieved our aim and maybe look back with a smile rather than regret.

“We’re competing against teams who have got four or five times the salary we have. But are we good enough? Yes.”

Burnley manager Brian Laws believes Graham Alexander’s return from injury will provide a major boost to the club’s hopes of avoiding relegation.

The 38-year-old Scotland international defender has missed their last four games with a calf problem picked up in their defeat at Bolton in January.

Laws told BBC Radio Lancashire: “He’s in my thoughts for this weekend.

“It’s his organisation, communication and composure that we could do with and the sooner we get him back the better.”

Burnley host bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth in a must-win clash at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Both sides have endured difficult seasons so far, with the visitors looking set to go into administration on Friday – an outcome which will see them handed a nine-point deduction.

But after conceding four goals in 12 minutes during Sunday’s 5-2 defeat by Aston Villa, Laws says his focus has been on avoiding a repeat performance this weekend.

“We’ve spoken to the players and the disappointment was that they were very basic errors,” he said. “Would I expect to see it again? No.

“I don’t know what triggered it but we were very composed for the first half and looked comfortable and even though they scored we didn’t look panicky.

“I believe we’re still in a very good position. If anybody had said before the season kicked off ‘would you take 12 games to go and there’s only one point between six teams?’, I think everybody would’ve jumped at that and said ‘yes’.

“Therefore, everything’s in our hands and we know we’re more than capable of doing it on our own without having to rely on anybody else’s results.”

A Premier League footballer has fulfilled a lifelong ambition – by appearing on Channel 4’s television show Countdown.

Clarke Carlisle, who plays for Burnley Football Club, beat fellow contestant and reigning champion Adam Guest by 89 points to 55.

The game show tests participants’ spelling and mental arithmetic.

Carlisle, 30, said: “I can’t say it’s better than winning a big football game – but it’s up there.”

He added during the show: “It’s a lifelong ambition. I’m just delighted to be here.”

‘Brainiest footballer’

Jeff Stelling, who hosts the Channel 4 show, said: “Your team-mates can’t take the mickey out of you too much now.”

Carlisle is the first Premier League footballer to appear on the show, although not the first player as Notts County’s Neil Mackenzie was on the programme in 2008.

The Burnley player was crowned “Britain’s Brainiest Footballer” in an ITV show hosted by former Countdown mathematician Carol Vorderman in January 2002.

He won the title by seeing off a panel of 12 including England’s World Cup-winning full-back George Cohen and Newcastle striker Malcolm Macdonald.

His success means he will continue to appear on the show – for a maximum eight games – should he keep winning.

Burnley Football Club have announced a two-year shirt sponsorship deal with Chinese online casino and sports betting company Fun88.

The multi-million pound deal begins at the start of the 2010-11 season.

Burnley director of commercial affairs, Anthony Fairclough, told BBC Radio Lancashire: “We’ve been looking for a new sponsor for six to eight months.

“We talked to many national and international companies but this deal shows where we are as a football club.”

And Fairclough is hoping the tie-up will be longer than the initial two-year deal.

“As long as we can deliver what we say we will then hopefully they’ll be encouraged by that new relationship,” he said.

“For the past six to eight months while we’ve been in the Premier League it’s been staggering the number of companies who’ve been interested in our club.

“We’ve not just looked at national companies anymore. They’ve been multi-national, pan-European and even global.”

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Turf Moor Date: Saturday, 6 February 2010 Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

Loan signing Jack Cork is set to make his Burnley debut but fellow new boy Danny Fox will have a late fitness test on a groin problem.

David Nugent is back after a loan from Portsmouth was extended and Stephen Jordan is fit after a hamstring injury.

West Ham could have a new-look attack following the transfer window signings of Benni McCarthy, Mido and Ilan.

Defender Herita Ilunga and midfielder Kieron Dyer could both feature after recovering from hamstring injuries.

Burnley

Suspended: None

Doubtful: Fox (groin), Jordan (hamstring), McCann (knee)

Injured: Alexander (calf), Caldwell (groin)

West Ham

Suspended: None Doubtful: Ilunga & Dyer (both hamstring)

Injured: Boa Morte & Hines (both knee), Davenport (leg), Franco & Gabbidon (both hamstring)

As the most out-of-form team in the Premier League, Burnley are discovering the harsh realities of life in the top flight.

Earlier in the season, the Clarets could rely on their form at Turf Moor but, having won five of their first six home games, they have failed to win any of the subsequent five and now languish in the relegation zone.

Prince Charles, rumoured to be a Burnley fan, was inspecting a community programme at Turf Moor on Friday and Brian Laws will be looking for a royal command performance from his strikers on Saturday.

Burnley have scored just four goals in their last nine league games although West Ham have scored just five, an odd state of affairs given there were eight goals when the clubs met in November, with the Hammers winning 5-3.

West Ham also have the advantage in the league table but although they sit four places higher than Burnley, they are just a point ahead and will find themselves behind the Clarets if they lose on Saturday – and could even be back in the relegation zone.

The Hammers could give debuts to their new transfer window signings, including Benni McCarthy, who will be guaranteed a hot reception from the Turf Moor faithful given his days as a Blackburn player.

Head-to-head

Burnley last beat West Ham at home in 1978. Since then the Hammers have won three and drawn one of their matches at Turf Moor (in all competitions).

West Ham won 5-3 when the teams met at Upton Park in November but the most number of goals between the sides came back in 1925 when Burnley won 5-4 at Turf Moor.

Burnley

Burnley are on their worst run of the season – they have lost their last four Premier League games and have not won in 12.

The Clarets won five of their first six home league games this season but haven’t won at Turf Moor in any of the last five (D4 L1). Their last league win at home was on 31 October.

Burnley have scored just two goals in their last six league games and have not kept a clean sheet in their last 12.

Burnley have hit the woodwork nine times this season, the joint-highest total in the Premier League.

Burnley’s next four games are also against bottom half opposition and thus potential relegation rivals – Portsmouth, Stoke, Wolves and Blackburn.

West Ham

West Ham’s only win in their last nine league games came against bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth.

The Hammers haven’t won away from home since the opening day of the season.

West Ham have drawn their last three league games and have scored just once in their last four.

The Hammers have the best penalty record in this season’s Premier League, scoring seven out of seven.

Burnley

Fletcher: 10 goals (6 league); Alexander: 6 goals (5 league)

West Ham

Cole: 7 goals (7 league); Diamanti: 6 goals (5 league)

Referee: Steve Bennett

Assistant referees: Dave Bryan & Bob Pollock

Fourth official: Alan Wiley

Burnley (L1-2 v Chelsea, h): Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Cort, Kalvenes (Edgar 35), Eagles, Elliott, McDonald (Paterson 60), Blake (Thompson 72), S Fletcher. Subs not used: Weaver, Duff, Nimani, Gudjonsson

West Ham (D0-0 v Blackburn, h): Green, Upson, Spector, Tomkins, Kovac (Cole 58), Noble, Behrami (Parker 70), Faubert, Collison, Diamanti, Nouble (Sears 78). Subs not used: Ilunga, Da Costa, Stech, Stanislas

West Ham scorers: Collison 18, Stanislas 33, Cole (pen) 43, Franco 51, Jimenez (pen) 64

Burnley scorers: Fletcher 68, 74, Eagles 90+5

Burnley have completed the signing of Celtic left-back Danny Fox for an undisclosed fee on a three-and-and-a-half year contract.

The 23-year-old made his Scotland debut in November having previously played for England Under-21s.

He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Celtic in July after leaving Coventry for an undisclosed fee, thought to be about 1.5m.

Burnley are believed to have offered Celtic 1.8m for Fox.

He was one of two defenders to leave Celtic Park on Friday, with captain and fellow Scotland international Stephen McManus moving to Middlesbrough on loan.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has signed two central defenders during the January transfer window, Jos Hooiveld arriving from AIK Stockholm for about 2m and Thomas Rogne from Stabaek.

But Lee Naylor is once again Celtic’s most experienced left-back, with right-backs Mark Wilson and Paul Caddis, plus central defender Darren O’Dea, providing cover.

Former Everton trainee Fox played more than 100 games for Walsall between 2005 and 2008 before a successful 18-month spell with Coventry attracted the attentions of the Glasgow club.

Fox started 22 games for the Scottish club but had recently found his first-team opportunities limited under Mowbray.

He will not be involved in Saturday’s Premier League match against Chelsea at Turf Moor.

New Burnley manager Brian Laws also signed central defender Leon Cort from Premier League rivals Stoke City for 1.5m on Wednesday.

He has also added goalkeeper Nicky Weaver to his squad after his short-term contract with Dundee United came to an end.

Chelsea skipper John Terry will grab the headlines after scoring the winner at Burnley to move his side four points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Terry, who was booed by the home fans following newspaper revelations about his private life, headed in Frank Lampard’s corner late on.

It was a rare moment of second-half incision from a lacklustre Chelsea.

Nicolas Anelka had opened the scoring by finishing off a flowing move before Steve Fletcher rifled in an equaliser.

And it seemed for a long time as though the score would remain level, as Chelsea struggled to raise their game after easily controlling the first half without having to get out of first gear.

Chelsea’s closest title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal both dropped points at Turf Moor earlier this season.

With United and Arsenal facing each other on Sunday, the Blues went into the match keen not to suffer the same fate.

Initially, the signs were that Chelsea would run out easy victors.

While Burnley offered hardly any offensive threat, Chelsea were able to come forward at will.

Their opening goal was the product of a superb move, Peter Cech throwing the ball out to Joe Cole, whose cross was pulled back by Florent Malouda for Anelka to slot home.

At that point it was all too easy for Chelsea, although they did not dominate in the way they might have.

Keeping Burnley at arm’s length with little effort, they settled into a complacent rhythm and they were caught out after the break.

Robbie Blake’s long ball over the top was pulled down by Fletcher, who got the luck of the bounce off centre-back Alex but then finished with a superb low drive.

It was an unlikely equaliser and served to provoke Chelsea into action.

Lampard tested keeper Brian Jensen with a low free-kick, Joe Cole had a headed goal ruled out for offside, while Alex and Malouda shot off target.

Yet for all their pressure, Chelsea could not carve out clear-cut chances.

That was until Lampard swung in a precise corner and Terry rose highest to thump home his header and make a difficult day a satisfying one both for himself and for his club.

Burnley boss Brian Laws:
“I can take a lot of heart from this game. We were only minutes away from getting a point.

“We showed Chelsea too much respect in the first half but when we scored it lifted the team and lifted the crowd.

“It was a great goal by Steve Fletcher and gave us great belief. The only disappointment is we couldn’t see out the game.”

Chelsea mananger Carlo Ancelotti:
“It was a difficult game, especially in the second half.

“We were not able to play the way we liked and they equalised.

“We then put more pressure on Burnley and deserved the win. We are four points ahead of Manchester United and that is good.”

Hamilton Accies have agreed a deal to bring former defender Brian Easton back on loan from Burnley until the end of the season.

And the 21-year-old could feature against Celtic in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at New Douglas Park.

The left-back has made only one Burnley appearance since moving last summer for an initial 350,000 fee.

With Burnley signing Danny Fox from Celtic, Easton has been pushed further back in the Turf Moor pecking order.

“I am delighted at this,” Easton told the Accies website. “I have continued to follow the club’s results this season and have been at three of the Sunday games so I know how the team have been playing.

“I thoroughly enjoy it at Burnley, who are a great club, but I have been mainly on the fringes of the first team.

“Everyone looks forward to regular first team football and I can’t wait to hopefully be involved tomorrow.”

Easton was one of Scotland’s brightest prospects when he moved from New Douglas Park.

He has been capped for Under-21 level and has also played for the Scotland B team.

Meanwhile, the deal for striker Joel Thomas to rejoin Hamilton Accies on loan until May from Colchester United has been concluded following Fifa approval.

Thomas joined Colchester in the summer for 125,000 but has made only seven appearances for the League One side.

The striker will also be available to face Celtic.

Burnley have completed the signing of Stoke defender Leon Cort.

The 30-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Turf Moor after the clubs agreed a fee of 1.5m, which could rise to 2m.

Cort joined Stoke in 2008 for what was a club record fee of 1.2m and played a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League.

But the form of Ryan Shawcross and Abdoulaye Faye has restricted Cort’s first-team opportunities.

The summer signing of Robert Huth has also curtailed his game time, with Cort making only four appearances this season.

“Leon was an influential figure in the club’s promotion triumph and a dependable performer whenever called upon in our first season in the Premier League,” said Stoke boss Tony Pulis.

“We would like to thank him for his contribution to that success and wish him all the best in the future with his new club.”

Cort’s signing is the second for new Burnley boss Brian Laws after the capture of Manchester City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.