18 days to Premier League season: Burnley hope third time promoted is the charm

• More: 2016/17 Premier League fixtures in UAE time

The National's sports team is counting down the days until defending champion Leicester City take on newly promoted Hull City in the opening fixture of the 2016-17 English Premier League season by looking at one team a day. Today, Burnley.

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Twice Burnley have been promoted, twice they have shot straight back down to the Championship. On both occasions, Burnley's reluctance to open the cheque book and adequately strengthen their squad cost them dearly.

It must be a tough choice to make: splash the cash and hope it earns Premier League status for another season, or be sit safely in the knowledge that relegation won’t potentially bankrupt the club. It seems, based on their transfer activity so far, that Burnley are again erring on the side of caution.

A few players have so far arrived – including Iceland forward Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Nick Pope from Charlton and Jamie Thomas from Bolton – and there should be more. But based on the deals so far, we can assume Burnley are not in the market for big-money players. There is clearly confidence in the squad, and based on last season’s exploits where they won the league with 93 points, that confidence is perhaps not misplaced. However, the departure of Player of the Season Joey Barton to Glasgow Rangers could have a big impact on their hopes this season.

Will it be third time lucky for Burnley? It doesn’t look too likely.

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Previously

• Hull City: Promoted club had unstable summer

• Middlesbrough: Hopes lie largely in Spaniards

Still to come

• Tomorrow: Sunderland

• Thursday: Bournemouth

• Friday: Crystal Palace

• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion

• Sunday: Watford

• Monday: Swansea City

• Tuesday, Aug 2: Everton

• Wednesday, Aug 3: Chelsea

• Thursday, Aug 4: Stoke City

• Friday, Aug 5: Liverpool

• Saturday, Aug 6: West Ham United

• Sunday, Aug 7: Southampton

• Monday, Aug 8: Manchester United

• Tuesday, Aug 9: Manchester City

• Wednesday, Aug 10: Tottenham

• Thursday, Aug 11: Arsenal

• Friday, Aug 12: Leicester City

• Saturday, Aug 13: Premier League season begins

jturner@thenational.ae/

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