Burnley take on Notts County in the first round of the EFL Cup on Saturday afternoon at Turf Moor as the English domestic season kicks into gear.
Neither side have impressed in pre-season, with the Clarets losing four and drawing two of their friendly matches, while County have not fared much better with three defeats, one draw and a single victory.
Given the gulf in class between the pair despite the poor pre-season form, Nicky Hayen's tenure should get off to a winning start so backing the Clarets to seal a comfortable EFL Cup win appeals.
Burnley v Notts County Tips Summary
Best Bet - Burnley -1 handicap @ 6/5
Alternative Bet - Both teams to score - No @ 10/11
Bet Builder - Under 3.5 goals, Under 9 corners & Zian Flemming anytime goalscorer @ 15/2
Burnley v Notts County Prediction
Best Bet: Burnley -1 handicap @ 6/5
After being relegated from the Premier League last season, Burnley should have too much quality for League One outfit County at home.
The Clarets are under new management with Hayen taking control over the summer and this is his team's first chance to impress the new man in competitive action.
Pre-season has not gone to plan for Burnley with no wins in six matches, but there remains quality in the squad, and that should be the difference between the two sides.
The Clarets are fourth favourites for promotion back to the Premier League and despite this being a knockout cup match, it will be seen as ideal preparation for the gruelling Championship season ahead.
The clash with the Magpies offers an excellent chance for the Clarets to fine-tune their team in competitive action ahead of the league campaign and Hayen's side should run out comfortable victors.
Alternative Bet: Both teams to score - No @ 10/11
Burnley have kept most of their Premier League squad at the club over the summer and their backline has a familiar look to it.
Only Maxime Esteve from their first-choice defence has left the club and that continuity should hold them in good stead for the season ahead.
In particular, being able to name a well-worn defence in the opening stages of the season while the new attacking signings bed in should be of benefit to the Clarets.
This defensive familiarity can help them to keep a clean sheet in this fixture.
Notts have scored just one goal in three pre-season outings, so backing Burnley to keep them out looks like an attractive proposition.
Burnley v Notts County Bet Builder Tip
Under 3.5 goals
Under 9 corners
Zian Flemming anytime goalscorer
Pays 15/2
Neither Burnley nor County have pulled up any trees during pre-season and both go into this EFL Cup first-round match looking for fluency, particularly in front of goal, before the league season starts next week.
The Clarets have managed to find the back of the net just six times in six summer matches, while Notts have managed the same amount in five.
However, five of those six came in one friendly against non-league opposition.
A relatively low-scoring encounter could be on the cards at Turf Moor then this weekend.
One man who may break the deadlock is Zian Flemming; the Dutchman netted 11 times in 29 Premier League matches last season, a decent return in a relegation battle.
Flemming is expected to have a productive season in front of goal against Championship opposition, and backing the striker to get off the mark in this fixture looks a shrewd move.
Burnley and Notts were both low when it came to the average number of corners won per match last season. The Clarets won just 4.5 per 90 minutes of action last time out and County were even lower at 3.5.
As a result, backing under nine corners in this clash appeals.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
Notts County won promotion to League One last season after victory in the play-offs
Burnley finished 19th in the Premier League last term and were relegated
The Clarets have hired Belgian Nicky Hayen as head coach for the season ahead
Burnley lost to third-tier opposition in both the EFL and FA Cups last season
Burnley have lost four and drawn two of their six pre-season friendlies
County have one win, three defeats and a draw to their name over their summer friendlies
Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
