Preview: Cleverley On Burnley & Scott Parker

Watford Head Coach Tom Cleverley said he is relishing taking his Hornets side to a Burnley team which has the best defensive record in the Sky Bet Championship (Saturday December 21, 3pm KO).

The Clarets have conceded just eight goals in their 21 matches so far, and are currently flying high in third in the table.

“I’m excited for this challenge,” Cleverley said.

“It’s an incredible defensive record they’ve got.

“We know the test we face, but I would say that we’ve got one of the most exciting attacking units in the league.

“I expect a good clash of styles and a good football match.”

Burnley are unbeaten in eight matches but the Hornets ended West Bromwich Albion’s 12-game run without defeat with a 2-1 victory last time out.

“These are the big days that we’ve been rising to,” Cleverley said.

“Our form against the top teams is quite good, and this is another huge challenge for us.

“We think we’re arriving there in a good moment.”

The game kick-starts the busy schedule of festive fixtures, with Cleverley hoping to begin the hectic period on the front-foot.

“I think for this game this weekend, where we have had six days of preparation, you go at it as hard as you possibly can with the best team you feel like you can win the game with,” he said.

“When you get into three days between games, I have to start looking at ‘this game might suit him a little bit better’ or ‘it would be better to have him fresh for this game’.

“We will have to be a bit more strategic, but this weekend will be the strongest XI we can field to win at Burnley.”

Former Hornets captain Cleverley did not play a professional game again after pulling up injured in the warm-ups at Burnley in February 2023, while his last senior goal came in a 1-0 victory over the Clarets at The Vic in August 2022.

He will be coming up against another ex-England midfielder in Burnley boss Scott Parker, who has overseen promotions from the Championship with both Fulham and AFC Bournemouth.

Cleverley and Parker were named in the same England squads under Fabio Capello, and were due to start a friendly against the Netherlands together in 2011 before it was cancelled due to riots.

“His teams are very efficient in what they do,” Cleverley said on Parker.

“He’s had great success in this division, he certainly knows how to get a team out of it.

“It will be a really tough test on Saturday.”