Match Preview: Barnsley v Burton Albion

Barnsley FC will look to end a three-game losing streak as they host a resurgent Burton Albion side at Oakwell. The Tykes have struggled in recent weeks, but head coach Daryl Clarke remains determined to lift his team’s spirits and reclaim their spot in the League One playoff hunt.

Burton Albion, under Gary Bowyer, arrive at Oakwell brimming with confidence after three consecutive victories. The Brewers, 21st in the league, could climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since August with another win, as they have surged to joint top of the League One form table over the past four matches.

Current Form

Barnsley FC’s recent form has been inconsistent. Their overall record shows W-W-L-L-L, and they average 1.50 points per game. They’ve suffered back-to-back injury-time losses to Stevenage and Wycombe Wanderers, which have put their playoff hopes under pressure. Burton Albion, on the other hand, are in their best form of the season, with a record of L-D-W-W-W. They’ve taken nine points in just nine days, lifting themselves within three points of safety.

Home and Away Form

Barnsley have struggled to dominate at Oakwell, with a home form of L-L-W-W-L and an average of 1.21 points per game. They score 1.43 goals and concede 1.50 goals per home match, with a 64% chance of both teams scoring. Burton’s away form shows a pattern of D-L-D-D-W, averaging 0.92 points per game. They score 0.92 goals and concede 1.46 per away match, with a 54% chance of both teams scoring.

Head-to-Head Record

In their 14 previous meetings, Barnsley have won 7 matches, Burton Albion 3, with 4 ending in draws. Barnsley have outscored Burton 23-12 in these matches and will look to maintain their dominance, having beaten the Brewers earlier this season.

Manager Insights

Daryl Clarke admitted his team has faced mental challenges after recent setbacks:

It’s a massive game for us. We’ve had two really disappointing performances with injury-time goals, but I’ll pick the players up and make sure we treat Saturday’s game with the importance it needs to get back in that top six.

On Burton’s resurgence, he added:

They’re in a good place and trying to get out of the relegation zone. They’ve found form, and Gary Bowyer’s done a fantastic job.

Gary Bowyer, however, is keeping Burton focused on the task at hand despite their remarkable turnaround:

All we’ve done is win the next game, and that’s what we’ll try to do again on Saturday.

 
On their relegation fight, Bowyer commented:

We’ll have a good go against Barnsley, who are another top team, but we can’t lose focus on the job at hand.

Prediction Data

Barnsley’s home BTTS likelihood is 64%, while Burton’s away BTTS percentage is 54%. There is a strong possibility of both teams finding the net. Barnsley are 57% likely to score first, compared to Burton’s 36%.

Key Players

Davis Keillor-Dunn (Barnsley) has been a consistent goal scorer with 9 goals this season. Rumarn Burrell (Burton Albion), fresh off a stoppage-time winner, will look to inspire his side to another critical victory.

Odds

Barnsley Win: 1.40
Draw: 4.50
Burton Albion Win: 7.00

Analysis and Prediction

Barnsley’s strong head-to-head record and home advantage give them a slight edge. However, Burton’s recent form and resilience make this a far tougher contest than it might appear on paper. Both teams are likely to score, and a draw could be on the cards if Burton maintains their momentum.

Prediction: Barnsley 2-2 Burton Albion