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Burnley’s new signing Danny Drinkwater looks set to get his first outing for the Clarets when the Under 23s take on Coventry on Monday afternoon. The summer signing from Chelsea has yet to play for his new club since joining on deadline day on loan from the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Clarets boss Sean Dyche has yet to hand the former England midfielder his first start at the club since his move but has hinted that he could get a run with Steve Stone’s youngsters, who welcome Coventry City to Turf Moor on Monday.
Drinkwater has arrived at the club trying to restart a career that has stalled since his £35m move to Chelsea from Leicester City where he was part of their Premier League title-winning side.
The 29-year-old was snapped up by the Blues under the stewardship of Antonio Conte but first-team football was almost impossible to find – especially when Conte was replaced by Maurizio Sarri, as Drinkwater did not feature in the league once last season.
He has moved to the north west in the hope of changing that situation but he will not be able to walk straight into the Burnley. The Clarets have started the season well with a comfortable home win over Southampton before a predictable unlucky defeat at Arsenal, a trip that never bares any fruit.
Dyche’s midfield is an area which is working well and he would have to dislodge the likes of Jack Cork and Ashley Westwood if he were to break into the side and that is not going to be easy.
Dyche said: “We have got some football for him next week but the two midfielders I thought were excellent at Arsenal. “They covered the ground and were willing to press and they can both play so he knows he has to work to get into the team.”
He may not be the only new signing to get a run out on Monday as former Leeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell may also be given his first taste of Burnley action, although Adam Legzdins was in goal for the Under-23s’ opening game of the season at Millwall.
Charlie Taylor has recently returned from a minor groin injury and the boss said last week that he needs more games under his belt before he is considered for first-team action.
Kevin Long, Ben Gibson and Matej Vydra have not featured this season and could be given a run-out on Monday.
