BURTON ALBION V TRANMERE ROVERS 26/12/19
SETTING THE SCENE:
Christmas time is about love and festivities, all this is forgotten when boxing day comes and football fixtures are played. This year, Micky Mellon’s ‘superwhites’ travel to the Pirelli Stadium to face Nigel Clough’s Burton. The ‘Brewers’ are six places and seven points above their visitors. However, a win for Tranmere could take them three places higher with a game in hand over currently 17th placed Accrington Stanley. Thus, a Boxing Day cracker is set to unfold in Staffordshire.
SETTING THE TEAM:
Micky Mellon is without the services of the suspended former Aston Villa forward Corey Blackett-Taylor whilst Scott Davies, Mark Ellis, Evan Gumbs, Ishmael Miller, Harvey Gilmour, Ollie Banks all remain unavailable. Kane Wilson and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson are all doubts due to recently picked up injuries.
ONE TO WATCH:
The ‘Brewers’ one to watch is their leading goal scorer, Liam Boyce.
28-year-Old forward Boyce has previously been on the books of: Cliftonville (69 goals In 137 games – he has had two 2-year spells at the Northern Irish side) , Werder Bremen (second outfit) and Ross county where he scored 48 goals in 99 games.
During his time at the ‘Staggies’, Boyce was named the Scottish premiership top scorer in the 2016/17 season as he scored 23 goals.
Belfast-Born Boyce signed for Burton in the June of 2017, for Burton’s club record signing fee. He has so far scored ten goals this season.
OFFICIALS:
Ollie Yates is the man in the middle for the Boxing Day encounter. So far this season, the Staffordshire-residing referee, has awarded 56 yellow cards and 4 red cards in 18 games.
The man in black will be assisted by Matthew Smith and Richard Bartlett.
PAST MEETINGS:
According to ‘11v11.com’ Tranmere have met Burton on three occasions, twice losing against their opponents and beating their opponent once.
The victory against the ‘Brewers’ came earlier in the season, when Ollie Banks and Stefan Payne netted in injury time to turn a 1-0 defeat into a 2-1 win. Former Tranmere forward Lucas Akins netted for the visitors.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tranmere have won their past four Boxing Day fixtures, the game before that being a defeat at the Pirreli Stadium in the season the ‘superwhites’ was relegated to the national league for the first time.
If Tranmere win, it will be the club’s first league double (beating the same club twice in the league) of the 19/20 campaign.