Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the Monday night Premier League clash between Burnley and Watford. This is the first time these two sides have ever met in the top flight, and they have enjoyed contrasting fortunes so far this season. Burnley come into this match looking to get back to winning ways following some disappointing results of late, while Watford are bidding for a third straight Premier League win. Before we get into that, though, let's take a look at the team news...

BURNLEY STARTING XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Defour, Marney, Hendrick, Gudmundsson; Vokes

BURNLEY SUBS: Flanagan, Kightly, O'Neill, Bamford, Robinson, Tarkowski, Arfield

WATFORD STARTING XI: Gomes; Cathcart, Prödl, Britos; Amrabat, Capoue, Behrami, Pereyra, Holebas; Deeney, Ighalo

WATFORD SUBS: Pantilimon, Kaboul, Zuniga, Kenedy, Watson, Guedioura, Success

The teams are in, then, and both managers have been forced into changes this evening. We'll start with Burnley, who's most conspicuous absentee this evening is Andre Gray. The striker, who shoulders more responsibility than anyone else in this Burnley side for getting the goals to keep them in the division, begins a four-match ban today after being suspended for homophobic comments made on social media in 2012. Gray has since apologised for the comments after they resurfaced recently, but the FA still dished out the four-game ban.

Gray is the only new absentee for Sean Dyche, who is also currently without Ashley Barnes through injury, and the Burnley boss has turned to Wales striker Sam Vokes to lead the line instead. Vokes does not have a particularly good strike record at this level, but he has also rarely been given an extended run in the first team. He could well have a run of four games now due to that ban for Gray, and he will be desperate to perform and perhaps work his way into Sean Dyche's first-team plans on a more regular basis.

That is one of two changes to the Burnley side that was well beaten by Leicester City last time out, with the other seeing summer signing Gudmundsson returning to the team for only his second league start since joining from Charlton. The winger replaces Scott Arfield in an otherwise unchanged midfield unit that again includes Hendrick - another summer arrival from the Championship. Marney, Defour and Boyd make up that midfield five.

There are no changes at the back for Burnley despite having conceded seven goals in their last three league games, with Tom Heaton once again given the gloves for this one. Mee scored an own goal last time out against Leicester to cap off the 3-0 defeat, but Dyche has kept faith with him alongside Keane at the heart of the defence. Lowton and Ward will operate on either flank to complete the back four.

As for Watford, it will be all eyes on Troy Deeney this evening. The Hornets skipper has been one of their most important players for a number of years now, and his late penalty against Manchester United last weekend was his 98th goal for the club in all competitions. Only four players have ever reached a century of goals for Watford, so a brace for the skipper tonight would see him join a very exclusive club. He has a decent record against Burnley too, scoring in three of his last five appearances against the Clarets.

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Arguably the star of the show so far this season has been Etienne Capoue, though. At the very least, the midfielder has been the surprise package with his goals, scoring four times from just five shots on target in the top flight. Such figures would have surpassed even his own expectations by a long way, but he will see tonight's game as a good opportunity to add to his growing tally and continue what has been a remarkable start to the campaign on an individual level.

In contrast, Odion Ighalo has failed to hit the heights at the start of this season that he did last term, but he still keeps his place in the starting XI tonight ahead of Success. Indeed, there is just one change made by Walter Mazzarri this evening, and that is an enforced one as Nordin Amrabat comes in on the right side of midfield to replace the injured Daryl Janmaat - expected to miss six weeks. Zuniga once again has to settle for a place on the bench despite scoring against United last time out, while Jose Holebas has shaken off a groin injury to start.

Another doubt heading into this match was Younes Kaboul, and he has to make do with a place on the bench this evening as Mazzarri sticks with the same back three of Cathcart, Prodl and Britos. Whether that will be his first-choice back three when everybody is fully fit remains to be seen, but they did a decent job against United and are rewarded with another start again tonight. Heurelho Gomes, as ever, tends the goal.

That is the defence which Burnley need to get past if they are to clinch a victory this evening, but in truth they haven't exactly looked like breaking down many defences so far this season. The loss of Gray to suspension is not going to help that whatsoever, so Dyche will be demanding more from the supporting cast in front of goal in the coming weeks - similar to what Capoue has provided for Watford, perhaps. The Clarets are the lowest scorers in the Premier League so far this season, having scored just three goals in their five games.

Two of those goals came in their only win of the campaign too, although that was an impressive victory over a Liverpool side who have otherwise impressed so far this season. They also scored in their 1-1 draw with Hull City, so a positive spin on their record would be that they have got something from every game in which they have scored. The three league games in which they have failed to score, however, have seen them lose 1-0, 3-0 and 3-0, while in their last three league games they have managed just four shots on target.

Burnley have certainly not had the easiest start to life back in the top flight, facing Liverpool, Chelsea and champions Leicester in their opening five league games, but Dyche would have been hoping for a better record than four defeats in their opening six matches in all competitions. The win over Liverpool is undoubtedly the highlight, but there hasn't exactly been much competition for that crown. They were well beaten by Chelsea and Leicester, and even suffered an ignominious early EFL Cup exit at the hands of Accrington Stanley.

Things aren't going to get any easier in the immediate future either. Watford, on paper at least, looks like an easier assignment than the likes of Leicester and Chelsea, but after tonight's match they take on Arsenal, Southampton, Everton and Manchester United in their next four outings. Indeed, they don't play another team who are currently in the bottom half of the table until the start of December, when they face on Stoke. That is seven consecutive games against teams currently in the top half.

Tonight's match is the exception to that, which makes it all the more important for Burnley to get something from the game. They will be expecting to pick up the bulk of their points here at Turf Moor too having lost just one of their last 16 competitive home games in front of their own fans - a run that stretches back in December 5 last year. That defeat came at the hands of Swansea on the opening day of this term, but since then they have picked up four points from games against Liverpool and Hull.

All three of their Premier League goals so far this season have come at Turf Moor too, making them the only team yet to score on their travels in the Premier League. At the other end of the field they have also only conceded twice in front of their own fans - a record only bettered by Tottenham and Leicester. Indeed, stretching back to last season they have conceded just five goals in their last 16 home league games, keeping 10 clean sheets in the process. No visiting team has scored more than once at Turf Moor since Preston North End picked up a 2-0 win in early December of last year.

They did actually have the best away record in the Championship last season in addition to an impressive one at Turf Moor - losing just twice in front of their own fans - but they will be relying on home points to pull them through this term. It is where all of their points have come so far this term, and a second home victory of the campaign this evening would lift them from 17th up to at least 13th place.

Watford could also climb four places if they continue their recent good form this evening having been knocked back down into the bottom half following the weekend's results. They come into this one sitting 11th in the table, but three points could lift them as high as seventh and would definitely be enough to see them leapfrog Chelsea in the table. It was a relatively slow start to life under Walter Mazzarri, but the Hornets finally seem to be finding their feet under the Italian now.

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Watford failed to win any of their opening four matches under Mazzarri in all competitions, and were on a run of three defeats in a row before finally breaking their duck. An opening-day draw was followed by league defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Arsenal, but it was the result sandwiched between those two that raised the most alarm bells - a 2-1 loss to Gillingham in the EFL Cup. However, they have now won back-to-back games against West Ham and Manchester United, scoring seven goals in the process.

Despite coming very early in the season, it is that West Ham match that could prove to be a turning point in Watford's campaign. They looked destined for a fourth straight defeat when 2-0 down to the Hammers, but a rousing comeback saw them win 4-2 in the end, and they followed that up with a famous victory over Manchester United last time out. They are now looking to win three Premier League games on the bounce for only the second time ever, having first achieved the feat in December of last year.

That run up to Christmas under Quique Flores actually saw Watford win four games in a row and move very close to the top four places, but Mazzarri cannot afford to follow a similar path to the one that Watford went down after that particular run. Having won four on the bounce, the Hornets went on to then win just four of their next 24 league games - a run that ultimately cost Flores his job and was finally ended by the comeback against West Ham.

Should Watford win again tonight then it would only be the second three-game winning run in the top flight since 1987, when they also went on to record four on the bounce. Looking ahead to their upcoming fixtures, though, the Hornets may be confident of extending that run even further. Their next five games including this one come against teams currently below them in the table, with Bournemouth, Middlesbrough, Swansea and Hull next up. Having picked up seven points from a tough start to the season against the likes of Southampton, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham and Manchester United, hopes will be high that they can yield a significantly better return from their upcoming fixtures.

Before the weekend fixtures, only three teams in the league had scored more goals than Watford this season - thanks largely to those seven in their last two games. Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool were the only clubs more potent in front of goal, although Manchester United have since been added to that list following their 4-1 win over Leicester. Watford's win over United saw them score three or more goals in successive top flight matches for the first time ever, and another goalfest today would see them achieve that feat in three consecutive league games for the first time since January 2011.

It is at the other end of the field where Watford must improve, though. They have failed to keep a Premier League clean sheet in their last 10 outings, conceding 22 goals since a 1-0 away victory over West Brom in April. Indeed, since their form nosedived after Christmas they have kept only three league clean sheets in 26 outings. There has been an improvement away from home though; having lost eight of their last 10 away games at the end of the 2015-16 season, they are still unbeaten on the road in the current campaign - one of only three teams who can boast that. A victory tonight would give them back-to-back Premier League away wins for only the second time ever.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff, which means that it is time for a prediction! This is quite a tough one to call considering Burnley's relatively good home record this season and Watford's recent upturn in form. It could be a closely-fought contest, and it is very hard to separate them. I'll go for a 1-1 draw!

A draw has been by far the most common result from this fixture in recent times, with five of the last six league meetings - including each of the last four - ending all square. This is the first time the clubs have ever faced off in a top-flight match, but last time they met in the Championship saw Deeney and Arfield both on the scoresheet in a 1-1 draw.

The last time the two met at Turf Moor came in December 2013, also in the Championship, and that one ended in a goalless draw. Burnley do have a good home record against the Hornets in recent times, though, going unbeaten in their last eight matches against Watford here. The last time Watford won at Turf Moor was in April 2004 when they came away with a 3-2 victory, since when there have been four Burnley wins and four draws.

Sean Dyche is welcoming one of his former clubs to Turf Moor this evening having been a player, youth coach, assistant and manager at Watford earlier in his career. He spent just over a year in charge of the Hornets from June 2011 to July 2012, winning 17 of his 49 matches in charge of the club. However, the Pozzo family sacked him despite Watford recording their best league finish for four years, and so began the managerial merry-go-round which has followed at Vicarage Road.

Right, we're just about ready to go here! The players are out, the pre-match niceties have been exchanged and all that is left is for the final Premier League match of the weekend to take place. It promises to be an intriguing one!

KICKOFF: Here we go then! Burnley get us underway at a rainy Turf Moor for this Monday night match!

Slow start to this match as both sides look to feel each other out in the opening stages. There have been a couple of crosses into the box, but nothing really threatening to either goal so far.

Amrabat is a little lucky not to pick up an early yellow card for a wild challenge on Defour in his own half after losing the ball. Referee Mike Jones opts for leniency, though, and it is only a free kick to the Clarets.

Defour lifts it into the box, but it is easily dealt with and a handball from the Belgian moments later allows Watford to completely clear the danger.

Burnley have certainly made the brighter start to this match, and they have the first sight of goal here as Vokes attacks a cross from the right. He gets in front of Cathcart, but the Watford man does just about enough to ensure it goes behind for a corner.

SAVE! The resulting corner draws the first save of the match as Watford are unable to clear the danger and the ball falls to Boyd. The winger unleashes a snap shot, but Gomes is alert to tip it over the top.

Watford can't get out at the moment! Burnley pile the pressure on and the Hornets just cannot get it clear, although they do manage to get their bodies in the way of the Burnley shots. Keane eventually gives away a free kick, though, which gives Watford the chance to relieve some pressure.

We're only 12 minutes in, but Sean Dyche will be pretty happy with what he has seen from his side so far. They are brighter both on and off the ball and have got Watford's backs to the wall a little in the opening exchanges.

Watford just can't string any passes together at the moment. They are being forced to play long balls forward which are coming straight back at them, which is down to good work from Burnley off the ball. It has certainly been the hosts' opening 15 minutes.

More pressure from Burnley as Watford are forced into some last-gasp and messy defending. Once again they get it away without any huge danger for Gomes, but the pressure is building from Burnley.

Almost another chance for Vokes from the same route as his first. Lowton swings a cross in and Vokes gets his head to it, but he flicks his effort well wide.

Well, the big criticism of Burnley so far this season has been their lack of goals, and they have once again been missing a cutting edge so far this evening. They have enjoyed good possession and territory, but still only one relatively simple save for Gomes to make.

YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night is shown to Pereyra, although Jones made the decision based on the player's reaction rather than the foul itself. Needless from the visitors' record signing.

Vokes is leading the line well for Burnley so far tonight. He holds the ball up well here before laying it off and getting himself into the box, eventually helping to win the hosts another corner.

SHOT! Gudmundsson is close to turning Burnley's dominance into a lead here as he picks the ball up on the right flank before cutting inside and going for goal. His low strike has Gomes a little worried, but it ends up a yard or so past the near post.

SHOT! Watford have their first sight of goal on a rare foray into the Burnley half. They win a corner and the ball is floated directly to Holebas on the edge of the area. He goes for a first-time volley, but his low effort is cleared away before it can test Heaton.

Walter Mazzarri must be really disappointed with what he has seen from his side in the opening half an hour or so here. Coming off the back of wins against West Ham and Manchester United, his side should be full of confidence, but they have been outplayed here so far.

Lowton is finding some good space down on that right flank, but his latest cross is a disappointing one. He has found Vokes on a couple of occasions, but this time the ball floats straight out of play and another good attacking platform goes begging.

Watford just try to knock the ball about amongst themselves at the back here, but immediately Burnley look to press them in possession. The hosts are not making it easy for Watford to settle into this match at all.

There is just no cutting edge to Watford's game at the moment. The visitors have a rare chance to break, but the attack slows down almost straight away and in the end they are forced to play it all the way back to the keeper.

In fairness, Burnley haven't exactly had much penetration either, and Watford are certainly seeing more of the ball now than they were earlier in the match. Indeed, in the last 10 minutes they have enjoyed 61% of the possession, although none of it has come in threatening areas.

Burnley have the lead that they deserve! It comes from a corner, which Mazzarri will be furious with, and it is Burnley's record signing Hendrick who gets it! It is far too easy for the hosts, who have two players lining up to head it, but Hendrick gets there and plants a firm downward header into the bottom corner for his first Premier League goal!

CLOSE! Almost a second in quick succession for Burnley as a deep free kick is floated into the box, and again an aerial set piece is not well defended by Watford. This time Mee climbs highest to nod the ball into a dangerous area, but Vokes just can't poke it home from close range.

From Watford's point of view, that Hendrick header is such a poor goal to concede. They have withstood some heavy pressure from Burnley in open play without Gomes being tested much at all, but the marking from that corner was poor. Holebas was the man who lost Hendrick, while incidentally the Watford full-back was booked just before the corner.

This will be a first half well done for Burnley if they can hold on here. They have had the better of things and now finally have that goal to show for things. Every time they have scored this season they have gone on to get something from the game, remember.

There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

SAVE! Heaton makes his first save of the night, but it is as simple as you like for the Burnley keeper. Ighalo flicked a header goalwards, but it lacked power and was never threatening to beat the keeper.

YELLOW CARD! Lowton is the first Burnley player in the book this evening for a block on Holebas.

It is Burnley who go into the break ahead, then, and it is hard to argue against them deserving it at the halfway stage. Clear chances have been few and far between, but the hosts have had the better of things and look to be on course for just their second win of the season. Watford will be expecting to put in a better performance in the second half, though, so there is still plenty of time for the Clarets to hold out.

The goal came from Jeff Hendrick on his home Premier League debut for the Clarets, and it was the record signing's first top-flight goal too. The defending left a lot to be desired from Watford, though, as Hendrick was allowed to lose his man from a corner far too easily before planting a firm downward header into the bottom corner.

Aside from that, there really has been very little to shout about in front of goal in this one. Burnley did almost add a second immediately after opening the scoring when once again they got the better of the Watford defence from a set piece, with Mee nodding the ball into a dangerous area. Vokes looked to get on the end of it, but was narrowly beaten to the ball.

Heurelho Gomes has not been overworked despite Burnley's dominance of the first half, with his only real save coming in the opening 10 minutes when he tipped Boyd's snapshot over the crossbar. Gudmundsson also sent an effort narrowly wide of the target, whereas at the other end of the field Watford have been forced to settle for a Holebas volley and an Ighalo header - neither of which have caused Heaton any serious problems.

KICKOFF: Watford get us back underway for the second half at Turf Moor, and the visitors have made a change at the break with Juan Zuniga replacing Cathcart.

Sean Dyche will not be expecting Watford to be quite as poor in this second half, which makes that goal shortly before half time all the more important. It will be interesting to see whether Burnley's mindset changes now.

CHANCE! Well, Watford's mindset certainly seems to have. They have their best moment of the match as the referee allows play to carry on and the ball finds its way to Deeney. He drives a powerful effort towards goal, but Heaton is there to make a smart stop at the near post.

Burnley double their advantage five minutes into the second half! Again it is an aerial ball that causes the visitors problems, although this time they are able to half-clear the initial Defour corner. The ball comes back out to the Belgian, though, and his second delivery is perfect for Keane to glance home. Huge goal for Burnley!

That will be another very frustrating goal for Mazzarri. Not only does it come via a set piece - or shortly after one, at least - but Watford had made a much brighter start to this half. Suddenly they find themselves two down and with a mountain to climb.

Burnley have the wind in their sails now, and interesting they aren't sitting back just yet. They know they are facing a Watford side who are far below their best right now and seem to be more interesting in chasing a killer third goal than protecting their two-goal advantage.

Almost another chance for Burnley as Lowton beats Behrami in a 50-50 before sliding a pass through for Vokes. The Welsh striker looks to round the keeper, but the flag is rightly up and Watford instead have a free kick.

WATFORD SUB: Another change for the visitors as Amrabat makes way to be replaced by Isaac Success. Attacking move from Mazzarri!

Really good work from Vokes as he chases an aimless long ball forward, wins it and then draws a foul from Prodl to completely relieve the pressure on his side.

SAVES! Almost the third goal for Burnley! A loose ball drops to Defour on the edge of the box, and he works space to shoot before lashing a powerful effort towards goal. Gomes makes the save, but pushes it straight into a dangerous area where a number of claret shirts are waiting. Vokes and Mee both go for it, but get in each other's way and that allows Gomes to get back across and make a second save.

CHANCE! Good chance for the visitors - their best of the night so far. Deeney finally finds a bit of space, slipping in between the two centre-backs and getting on the end of a cross from deep. He tries to nod the ball back across goal and into the bottom corner, but can't connect properly and in the end it is easy for Heaton.

Almost another big chance for Deeney as Holebas's free kick goes straight into the wall and Capoue volleys the rebound towards goal. It almost drops for Deeney is a very good position, but Marney slides in with a last-gasp challenge to poke it behind for a corner.

YELLOW CARD! Success is the latest in the book for a robust challenge on Ward.

This match has really opened up since that second goal, with Watford throwing caution to the wind now and beginning to look dangerous. Burnley carry a threat themselves, though, so we may not have seen the last of the goals in this one.

Watford have actually had 70% of the possession in this second half, but Heaton has only had that one stop from Deeney to make so far. Burnley can afford to give up more of the ball with their two-goal lead, particularly if they continue to keep the visitors at arm's length.

We have less than 20 minutes remaining at Turf Moor now, and Burnley will know that one goal could change everything, particularly if it comes sooner rather than later. Watford, meanwhile, will be hoping of a repeat of their 4-2 victory over West Ham, which came from 2-0 down.

The fans want a red card here, but not for the first time today Mike Jones opts for leniency. Pereyra trips his man from behind and could well be shown a second yellow card, but he is given a reprieve by the referee.

WATFORD SUB: After that lucky escape for Pereyra, he makes way to be replaced by Chelsea loanee Kenedy.

Burnley's players are now staying down for that little bit longer after fouls, trying to drag the game out and prevent Watford from getting any sort of momentum going. It must be said, the visitors don't look like getting themselves back into this one.

We have just over 10 minutes to play now, and still it is those headers from Hendrick and Keane which separate the sides. Burnley deserve their lead, but Dyche will know all too well that they cannot afford to get complacent in the closing stages of this match.

CLOSE! Almost a chance for a third for Burnley to well and truly kill it off! Boyd gets a stroke of luck as the ball cannons off Vokes and into his path down the right channel in a good position. He has Hendrick free in the middle, but in the end it isn't a shot or a cross and the ball goes behind for a corner.

BURNLEY SUB: A couple of assists makes for a good night's work for Defour, who gets a great reception as he makes way to be replaced by Scott Arfield.

4 - Steven Defour has been involved in four of Burnley's five goals in the Premier League this season (scoring one, assisting three). Key. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 26, 2016

CLOSE! Burnley can't fall asleep just yet! Success is agonisingly close to getting his side back into this match as he races on to Deeney's pass before showing great feet on the byline to beat his man before looking for the bottom far corner from an impossible angle. He almost manages it too, but Heaton gets the faintest of touches as the ball goes a whisker past the post.

SHOT! The resulting corner drops to Behrami, but he can't get a great contact on his volley from the edge of the box and the ball drops a yard or so wide.

Watford have Burnley penned back in their own third right now as they desperately push for a route back into this one. Success is beginning to look dangerous on the left flank.

Burnley are working so hard to maintain this lead, and you have to think that they have done it now. It would take a remarkable collapse to allow Watford back into this one. All eyes on the fourth official now...

...and the verdict is FOUR MINUTES of added time. Surely that is not enough time for Watford to salvage something?

BURNLEY SUB: Another change for the hosts late on here as Gudmundsson is replaced by Michael Kightly.

Mike Jones brings the match to an end at Turf Moor, and it is the hosts who are celebrating the final whistle. They ease to what was a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Watford in the end, despite the Hornets having gone into the match off the back of victories over West Ham and Manchester United. Goals from Jeff Hendrick and Michael Keane were the difference and lift Burnley up to 13th place, while Watford remain 11th.

That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Burnley pick up just their second win of the season courtesy of a 2-0 triumph over Watford. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. Our attention turns to the Champions League again this week, so be sure to check back in with us for that! For now, though, it is goodbye from me!