Lancashire

Burnley visit Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in a bid to break into the top two.

The Clarets are two points shy of second placed Sheffield United and would find themselves in an automatic promotion spot should they defeat the Swans, with the Blades set for derby day in the Steel City on Sunday.

Defender CJ Egan-Riley is expected to be part of the match day action after his red card during Burnley's draw to West Bromwich Albion was successfully overturned upon appeal.

• Swansea City have lost each of their last three league games against Burnley. The Swans had won seven of their previous nine against the Clarets beforehand.

• Burnley won 2-1 on their last league visit to Swansea in January 2023. The Clarets haven't won consecutive visits to the Swans in their league history.

• Swansea have won their last two home league games, having lost three in a row before this. Both of these wins have been under caretaker Alan Sheehan, with the Irishman winning each of his last four at Liberty Stadium (also two wins in December and January last season in a previous caretaker spell).

• Burnley have conceded just six goals in 18 away league games this season, the lowest goals conceded per game (0.33) by a team away from home in a season in Football League history.

• Zian Flemming has been involved in eight goals in his last 12 away Championship appearances for Burnley (six goals, two assists).

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Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford has been named in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

The 22-year-old received his first call-up for international duty in 2024 but has yet to make his debut for the Three Lions' senior team.

England host Albania on Friday 21 March at Wembley, before welcoming Latvia the following Monday, in new boss Tuchel's first games in charge.

Clarets stopper Trafford has kept 25 league clean sheets this season, conceding just 11 goals, and is the only Championship player to feature in the 26-man squad.

Read the full squad list here.

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Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom wants his defenders to score more goals to take the burden off the forwards.

The Lilywhites have scored just 37 goals this season, the fifth fewest in the division and Heckingbottom has laid the gauntlet down to the back line, who he says should contribute more in the final third.

Jordan Storey and Andrew Hughes have just one goal each among Preston's defenders, with Liam Lindsay, Ryan Porteous, Jack Whatmough and Lewis Gibson yet to find the target.

"How many goals have our centre-backs scored this season? Nowhere near enough," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"They should be chipping in, from corners, free kicks and all set plays. That changes the dynamic of the game across the board."

Preston host Portsmouth on Saturday at Deepdale and are expected to be without midfielder Brad Potts due to a hamstring injury.

Storey could also return having been out since January, and Heckingbottom is hoping his side can pick up from their performance in Tuesday's draw at Sunderland.

"I was really pleased. There were so many good examples of our work against certain systems," Heckingbottom added. "Consistency has been good, but we've got to win when playing well."

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley's red card in Tuesday's draw with West Brom has been rescinded upon appeal.

Egan-Riley was dismissed at full-time after a foul on Albion forward Will Lankshear after the game had ended, but a Football Association panel reviewed the incident on Thursday and overturned the red card.

Scott Parker was also sent off at the end of the game but told the press at his briefing on Thursday that he was backing Egan-Riley.

"It is a trip, a technical foul," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"It is a booking. I feel he's been harshly dealt with. It wasn't a brutal action, it was a trip. Players are on the knife edge and while the whistle had gone, I'm not sure CJ knew that."

Burnley travel to Swansea on Saturday for their next Championship match.

Preston North End striker Emil Riis is yet to be offered a new contract by the club, according to manager Paul Heckingbottom.

The Danish forward scored his 10th goal of the season in North End's draw at Sunderland on Tuesday with his current contract expiring in the summer.

"As it stands he will be leaving. It's not up to me, it's up to Emil," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Any player who is out of contract, it's totally up to them what they do."

Riis arrived at Deepdale from Danish Superliga team Randers in October 2020 and has scored 39 goals in 114 league starts.

Heckingbottom is unsure whether a new deal will be offered to the 26-year-old who could move on for free at the end of the season.

''We don't want any players here who don't want to be here and likewise players don't want to play for a club that doesn't want them," he added.

"What these little moments can do is bring the group together. It's a little spark point where you just say 'Let's all make sure we are all having each other's back', which certainly looked like that was the case, and creates that siege mentality."

Aaron Paul and former winger Jobi McAnuff break down a tumultuous end to Burnley's 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion that saw both Claret's boss Scott Parker and defender CJ Egan-Riley given red cards.

Could the controversy bring a silver lining?

You can listen to the full episode of 72+ and more on the Football Daily podcast.