A look at the side Vincent Kompany could turn to for the Premier League opener at Turf Moor against Manchester City
Burnley have an injury doubt over winger Manuel Benson after he picked up a niggle which means he could miss the Premier League clash against Manchester
City.
The Clarets play their first game back in the top flight this evening and is the division’s curtain-raiser. Treble winners and Vincent Kompany’s old side City are the
visitors to Turf Moor.
Ahead of the encounter, Kompany has plenty to ponder in terms of his team selection and who he picks for his first team to start in a Premier League game. Benson
may not feature though.
The winger has not featured much in pre-season after picking up a niggle but will not be out for long, if he does miss the encounter. Kompany also faces a key
decision with his goalkeeper choice and whether to select summer signing James Trafford ahead of Aro Muric.
On Benson, Kompany said: “He’s been good, he’s been unfortunate to pick up a little niggle along the way, but it’s either tomorrow or the weeks after that he’ll be
ready, so no major concerns.”
Regarding the prospect of giving Trafford his top-flight debut against the team Burnley bought him from this summer, Kompany added: “I think it’s the eternal
question to any player that’s ever made a debut and we speak about Harry Kane and where he’s going, there’s always someone that needs to believe in a player and
give him a start.
“In terms of the talent and in terms of what I think his [Trafford’s] level will become, I have no doubt and I’m pretty sure that if it’s not now and I leave it a little bit
to speculation because it helps me, but if it’s not now, then I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be me giving him his debut in the Premier League and that’s the most
important thing.
“One day he gets his debut because that’s where he belongs and the rest, it’s like every young player. You make mistakes, you learn, and the top ones learn really
fast.”
Trafford could well be given the nod, having featured for much of pre-season following his arrival. Should Burnley operate with a back four, Connor Roberts would
be expected to start as right-back, with a potential centre-half partnership of Jordan Beyer and Ameen Al-Dakhil, and Dara O’Shea filling the left-back berth.
Last year’s Player of the Season Josh Cullen would be expected to start and could well line up in the middle alongside Josh Brownhill. With a doubt over Benson, the
right flank of the attack could belong to summer signing Nathan Redmond.
Anass Zaroury is a likely starter on the left wing, while Kompany faces decisions with his number 10 and striking options. Summer signing Zeki Amdouni could start
alongside Lyle Foster.
Predicted Burnley starting team vs Manchester City: Trafford; Roberts, Beyer, Al-Dakhil, O’Shea; Cullen, Brownhill; Redmond, Amdouni, Zaroury; Foster.
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