Sean Dyche has made fewer changes to his Burnley starting eleven than any other manager in the Premier League but he faces a selection headache on Saturday as defenders Ben Mee and Matthew Lowton return from injury.
Long and Bardsley will be hard to dismiss
Mee returns after sitting out of the last two games with a gashed knee but his replacement, Kevin Long, has helped the Clarets keep two clean sheets and the Irishman will be looking to maintain his starting position.
Lowton has been sidelined for three matches after a knee ligament strain but is also not guaranteed an instant return after a trio of impressive performances by Phil Bardsley.
Dyche confirmed to the media that both players are back in contention but Mee could have returned sooner. He stated, “Matt Lowton will be available, as will Ben Mee. It was my call with Ben [on Tuesday]. It was a close one, another few days would make sure.”
"It’s nice to see the team can still perform”
Dyche believes the culture set at the club has helped Burnley players stay confident and motivated even when they are sidelined. He added, “we have a clear respect for our players here. I’m not mentioning that others don't, but we focus on players not involved too, and when they're needed they'll be ready."
The Burnley boss is also delighted that his team are still grinding out results even after changes are made to the squad. “When you need it on nights like other night, when we had changes before and during the game, it’s nice to see the team can still perform.”
A recent change he had to make during a game was that of Stephen Ward when he hobbled off against Stoke City. The left-back is unlikely to be available for selection this weekend so Charlie Taylor could continue to deputise after making his Premier League debut on Tuesday evening.