Boss Vincent Kompany says Burnley trio will be back to their best for when it's "crunch time" in the title race

Vincent Kompany says Burnley trio Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Josh Brownhill and Manuel Benson will be firing on all cylinders as the season reaches "crunch time" for the Championship leaders.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Having missed a considerable chunk of the club's 17-game unbeaten run between them in the second tier, they returned to the starting line-up for the stalemate with Sunderland at Turf Moor.

Young Lions skipper Harwood-Bellis was side-lined for 11 fixtures after hobbling off against AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup, ex-Royal Antwerp winger Benson was absent for eight when sustaining an injury in victory over West Brom, though Brownhill escaped with missing just the two outings having been withdrawn early in the Lancashire derby versus Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The reason you haven't seen them like this is because Benny was out for months, Browny was out for weeks, Harwood-Bellis was out for months," Kompany outlined.

Burnley's Manager Vincent Kompany

The EFL Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Sunderland - Friday 31st March 2023 - Turf Moor - BurnleyBurnley's Manager Vincent Kompany

The EFL Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Sunderland - Friday 31st March 2023 - Turf Moor - Burnley
Burnley's Manager Vincent Kompany The EFL Sky Bet Championship - Burnley v Sunderland - Friday 31st March 2023 - Turf Moor - Burnley

"Having them back now, they'll get going. It's crunch time now so they'll be ready for the moments when we need them. I wanted a big squad, I have a big squad, and that's key."

The Clarets could confirm their instant return to the Premier League on Good Friday when they take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside, though that permutation rests fully on the outcome of Luton Town's meeting with Millwall at The Den beforehand.

Either way, promotion appears to be a matter of 'when' rather than 'if' for the table toppers, meaning the returning stars could have an integral role to play in helping their side secure the title.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"They just need to be fit and then they'll be dangerous. Having them in the team is important now," said Kompany, who is hoping to have strikers Jay Rodriguez and Lyle Foster back for consideration soon.

"It was a bit of a ghost town during the international break. Sometimes you come in overly keen and then you turn up and there's not a lot of people around.

"Our training ground is a better place when it's full so I'm looking forward to Monday with plenty of players ready to prepare for Middlesbrough."