Burnley interim boss Jackson hopeful on return of key figures

The Clarets climbed out of the bottom three for the first time since briefly escaping in October with a 1-0 win over Wolves at Turf Moor on Sunday.

And they achieved that victory without their top-scorer in the league in seven-goal Maxwel Cornet, who had a knee problem, captain Ben Mee, who continues to have an influence in the dugout, left back Erik Pieters and winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

Jackson explained the absence of Cornet against Wolves: “He had a bit of a grumble on his knee, but it is nothing serious.

"He has had a scan, and fingers crossed he will be back training with us at the back end of the week.

"Fingers crossed if everything goes okay (he will be back for Watford).”

Pieters, out for two months with a knee injury, is also close to being available: “We are hoping Erik might be back training with the group by the end of the week.

"He is going really well in his rehab.

"The more people we can get back with that experience and having everyone fit, then the better.”

Mee has also been out since the start of March with a hairline fracture to his fibula, but the news is good on that front: “He has been for a scan and that has come back okay, so fingers crossed we can get him back before the end of the season.”

Jay Rodriguez looked like he was struggling before half-time, with Aaron Lennon warming up ahead of the interval, but the forward came out for the second half before being replaced after 64 minutes: “He is struggling a little bit with his calf.

"We wanted to give him as long as we could, because we didn’t want to make too many changes too early.

"Fingers crossed he will be okay.”