Premier League / Mike Norman / 07 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Over the course of the next few weeks, "Mystical" Mike Norman will be looking into his crystal ball to see who will prevail in just some of the Premier League Season Match Bets we have to offer. First up - Burnley v Wolves.

Although both Burnley and Wolves are newly promoted to the Premier League, assessing who will finish higher this season is a bit like envisaging David dressed in claret and blue whilst Goliath proudly dons his black and gold armour.

Admittedly, both clubs will be seen as equals in the eyes of many; but in my eyes the Wanderers are on a steep upward curve, destined for a long stint in the top tier of English football, while Burnley are about to embark on a nine-month honeymoon period that will ultimately end in an uncomplicated divorce... from the Premier League that is!

Don't get me wrong, you won't get rich backing Wolves at [1.51] to finish the season above Burnley (not forgetting the nine months you have to wait to be paid out), but there aren't many more certain things that will happen this football season.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has moved quickly to bolster his Championship winning squad, adding no fewer than six players of varying age and experience.

Former Reading striker Kevin Doyle is arguably the most eye-catching new arrival at Molineux, though goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, defender Ronald Zubar, and midfielders Andrew Surman, Greg Halford and Nenad Milijas could all turn out to be excellent pieces of business by McCarthy.

Doyle has been a formidable goalscorer over the past few seasons for Reading, which included two years experience in the Premier League. He is exceptional in the air and reportedly scored more headed goals than any other striker across the English leagues during the year 2007. His partnership with fan favourite Sylvan Ebanks-Blake promises to be an explosive one - one that has the potential to score more than enough goals to keep Wolves in the top-flight this season.

At 37, Hahnemann is a goalkeeper of vast experience who will provide a solid platform at the back. Centre-back Zubar was once a target for Arsenal, is young and hungry, and should fit in well alongside the likes of Richard Stearman and Christophe Berra. Whilst in midfield, Sturman is an England Under-21 international, Halford has gained Premier League experience at Sunderland, and Milijas is a Serbian international who scored a remarkable 22 goals last season from his midfield posse.

In complete contrast, the Burnley squad has got Championship written all over it, despite the new arrivals of Tyrone Mears, Steve Fletcher, and David Edgar.

Owen Coyle did a fantastic job at Turf Moor last season, enjoying two excellent cup runs and finishing the season in fifth place (14 points behind Wolves) in the Championship before winning the end-of-season play-offs.

But Coyle's Premier League squad is weak in every department. Edgar made just a handful of appearances for a poor Newcastle side last season and is hardly the type of player that will add quality to a squad, whilst Mears (who was part of Derby County's dreadful 2007/08 relegation squad) and Fletcher (never played in England before) offer little inspiration that they are the men to keep Burnley up.

It all means that Burnley's squad consists of just two players, Steven Caldwell and Robbie Blake, that have had an extended taste of Premier League football with former clubs, and that their odds of [3.15] to finish Rock Bottom look an absolute steal.

Burnley are available to back at [2.1] to finish ahead of Wolves this season, but don't count on David beating Goliath on this occasion - it simply won't happen.