Lancashire

Ella Gibbs
BBC Sport journalist

Burnley boss Scott Parker has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground (kick-off 14:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The Burnley boss delivered an update on his team: "Josh Laurent is back, Hannibal Mejbri is edging closer but will miss this weekend, heading towards Leeds is a better option. Connor Roberts is still not available. Zeki Amdouni is moving in the right direction but we'll have to make a call on that."

• Parker acknowledged the two offside decisions in their defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion: "What can you say to that, if it's an offside, it's an offside. Disappointing and frustrating of course when you have two goals disallowed on the finest of margins. It was a hard one to take but factually it's an offside."

• The Clarets head coach said he will be "prepared" to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday: "We understand the dynamics of the game and what the game is going to bring. There is something on the game for both teams in terms of the predicament that both teams are facing. First and foremost, we need to be prepared for what we are going to face here and hopefully bring our quality and tactics into the game."

• Parker spoke on the possibility of relegation: "We understand the situation we are in and the challenge that we face and it's an absolutely massive one. I'm the biggest realist and as honest as they come."

• He added: "The last four or five games have been must-win games, which we've not been able to do and those games are running out for us. We have to keep learning from our experiences, and learning from each game. I know that can be seen as fluffy but that's where we are."

• Parker said he was "relaxed" about his contract ending next year, adding: "My focus is trying to get the best out of the group and my situation is mine and is not something I think about at this moment in time. Those conversations will take place in due course."

• He said managing players that aren't used to losing has been difficult: "It is what it is, we are where we are, we brought in players and we are working with them. It's been difficult on the mental side, players aren't used to losing games from where they might have come from."

• The boss continued: "The challenge goes up tenfold when you step up into the Premier League. It's a man-v-man game, that's the way the game has gone. The dynamics of the game have changed."

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Image source, Getty Images

Burnley head to Nottingham Forest on Sunday (14:00), in a bid to keep any dwindling hopes of Premier League survival alive.

With six games remaining, Scott Parker's side are 12 points from safety. That makes grim reading for Clarets fans, as do these statistics from the 32 Premier League games played so far.

In the top flight this season Burnley have faced:

• The most shots (533)

• The most shots on target (181)

• The most xG (64.0)

They have also:

• Allowed the most touches in their own penalty area (1,051)

• Faced the most big chances (99)

The Clarets have conceded 63 goals this campaign, the most in the division and five more than bottom side Wolves.

At the other end of the pitch, Burnley have managed the fewest shots of any side - 297 in 32 Premier League matches this season – an average of 9.3 per game.

Statistics provided by Opta

Image source, Opta

West Bromwich Albion will hope to boost their Championship survival hopes when they visit Preston North End on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The Baggies are two points above the relegation zone and unbeaten in their past seven league games (W2 D5), though they have won just two of their previous 18 (D9 L7).

The Lilywhites are 13th on 57 points and cannot go down, while a play-off spot is almost impossible as they trail sixth-placed Hull by 11 points with four games to play.

• Preston have won just two of their previous 15 league games against West Brom (D3 L10), with these victories coming consecutively in January and October 2022.

• West Brom have won five of their past six league games against Preston (D1), conceding just three goals in that run.

• Preston are unbeaten in their past four Championship games (W2 D2); this despite being on a run of 11 games without a clean sheet, the longest current run in the division.

• Nine of West Brom's past 14 Championship games have ended level (W2 L3). Indeed, the Baggies have had more draws (9) than any other team in the division since the start of 2026.

• Milutin Osmajic, Lewis Dobbin and Alfie Devine are all Preston's joint-top scorers in the Championship this season (8). This is the first campaign since 2017-18 in which Preston have had as many as three players with 8+ goals in the Championship (Tom Barkhuizen, Sean Maguire and Jordan Hugill).

Image source, Getty Images

Two Premier League heavyweights are set to face each other this weekend at Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City host Arsenal.

Both teams go into the fixture with different targets. For Mikel Arteta's side, it is about extending their lead at the top of the table. For Pep Guardiola's side, it is about closing the gap and keeping themselves in the title race.

It is a fixture being labelled a title decider by some, so we want to know who you want to win this Sunday's match.

Will you be cheering on the Citizens or getting behind the Gunners?

Make your selection

Natalie Bromley
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

The scenes at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon told a very clear story: the seats were either empty or emptying, as Burnley once again failed to find a way to break down a side that didn't really have to break into a sweat to beat them.

So many posts across the various social media channels told tales of fans opting to do something else with their time, something better than watching another 90 minutes of dreary Parkerball: holidays with family; taking up a new hobby; pub with friends. Some posts talked of a decision not to renew their season ticket this year, often the first time in a long time.

I listened to about 12 seconds of Scott Parker's post-match interview. I didn't need to listen to any more, it's the same old nonsense he has been pushing out all season. Nothing has changed. Nothing is going to change.

The harsh reality is that as incredible a person Scott Parker is (and I bring no joy in what I am about to say) he simply does not have what it takes to manage at the top level. Perhaps no manager could keep Burnley in the top flight any more, but even if we accept that as true, what I cannot accept is such a dogged refusal to do anything differently.

I really wanted this to work for him. I really did.

If Parker, and the board and the players had proactively changed their approach throughout the season to try to improve things, then I wouldn't feel the apathy I do towards them. There's no accountability, no jeopardy. We are seeing more and more mistakes across our website, programmes and fixtures lists - there seems to be no pride in what we produce any more.

A summer reset is badly needed. From all of us.

Find more from Natalie Bromley at No Nay Never podcast, external