Danny Drinkwater is set to make his Burnley debut in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Sunderland as Sean Dyche plans a raft of changes.
Drinkwater is yet to appear after joining the Clarets on loan from Chelsea the day before the transfer window closed earlier this month.
Dyche has fielded the same starting eleven in all three Premier League game to date but with Liverpool up next, he will offer some of the fringe players a chance to stake their claim.
But Dyche insisted rotation did not have to mean a weakening of the side that has taken four points from the first three Premier League games, with the Burnley boss saying this is the deepest squad he has had in his time at the club.
“I’ve said I think it’s the most balanced and competitive group I’ve had here,” he said.
“You could argue about other groups because I feel I’ve had some good ones here.
“But when I look at the rounded side of the squad – and the fact we have minimal injuries as well at the moment – I think they are players that are capable.
“So I will certainly be changing the side. There’s no reason not to when you think of the quality of the players that will come into the side.
“But there’s no other thought than winning the game – absolutely none.
“We want to win as many as we can. We know the feeling from last year when it didn’t go our way and that’s not a good feeling that you want.”
Nick Pope can expect a night off, but Dyche must decide whether to start Joe Hart or give Bailey Peacock-Farrell a debut in goal, while midfielder Jeff Hendrick will hope to start in midfield after his late substitute appearance against Wolves.
Jay Rodriguez, who returned to the club from West Brom in the summer, has come off the bench in all three Premier League games so far, will also hope to start.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson would probably have been due the night off anyway but will definitely not be involved after suffering a calf injury in Sunday’s draw with Wolves.
“We are getting him assessed today and scanned but we don’t think it is anything serious,” Dyche said.
“It is his calf, he has had a couple of niggles before and we think it is similar but not serious. He won’t make tomorrow, he has an outside chance for the weekend but obviously, at this early stage, we will consider that in the run-up to the next game.
“We are pretty clear that it is not a serious one so that is good news.”
