Dyche Makes Cup Respect Claim

Burnley boss Sean Dyche says he has no lack of respect for the FA Cup despite planning to make changes at Manchester City on Saturday.

Dyche will use the match to give a number of players game time, with Nick Pope, Stephen Ward and Steven Defour likely to be involved as Burnley’s focus is still firmly on the battle to stay in the Premier League.

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Dyche, who made it to the semi-finals of the cup in Chesterfield’s unlikely run in 1997, said he still has a strong affinity to the competition but the realities of the modern game means it has to come second, with Burnley three points off the drop zone.

“There’s massive respect because of my own history with it, but there’s a reality to the challenge and sometimes people forget that,” he said.

“The challenge for us is the Premier League, it’s number one and the first thing on the mind because it brings so much to the club on a consistent basis.

The FA Cup brings windows of it unless you win it – then it’s there forever. “It’s a big task for us this weekend but there’s no lack of respect.

We will make changes, definitely, because we’ve got a big week next week, with three in a week, and we’re still searching for people to get fit and some people need to play games.

“It’s not a lack of respect, it’s just the facts of modern football.”