Mark Lawrenson Predicts Away Win for Newcastle as They Travel to Turf Moor to Face Burnley

BBC Sports pundit and ex-Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson predicts that Newcastle United will continue their solid start to this season's Premier League campaign by defeating Sean Dyche's Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor on Monday evening. 

Speaking to BBC Sport ( via HITC Sport) the former footballer said: “I have been very impressed by Newcastle, who have been doing much better than I have been predicting they will.

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“Much like Burnley, the Magpies are well organised and well drilled, and are difficult to beat. This game is going to be very close, but I am backing Newcastle to come out on top – just,” he added.

Both sides seem evenly matched going into Monday night's intriguing encounter, having made equally surprising starts to the new campaign. Rafa Benitez's Magpies are currently 8th in the league and their recent form shows they have lost one of their last five games, winning last week 1-0 against Crystal Palace. 

Meanwhile, Dyche's Clarets find themselves 10th, but on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last Saturday, their only blemish in their last five league encounters.

For all the good work on the pitch, distraction off it surround both sides with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley recently putting the club up for sale and Burnley's manager being heavily linked with the vacant Everton manager's job. 

Nevertheless, these issues are not impacting on both sets of players' focus and performances  as they continue to deliver. However, the fact that Burnley have only won once at home this season, along with Lawrenson believing that the club from the North East are 'exceeding  expectations', gives them a slight edge in a tightly contested affair.