Judgement Day: Burnley boss Sean Dyche says his squad will soon come under scrutiny

Burnley are without a point from their opening three fixtures this term having slipped to defeats against Leicester City, Southampton and Newcastle United.

They're joined in the bottom three by top flight newcomers Fulham and Sheffield United, who have also drawn a blank heading into the international break.

The club's form, which has seen them ship seven goals in two away games, is already under heavy scrutiny from the outside, but the Turf Moor chief feels his group should only be judged once his numbers are replenished.

"We have the most stretched squad we have had since I have been here," he said. "We haven't activated where we would have liked to do in the market.

"We are stretched, we have a lot going on, on and off the pitch, and we are trying to manufacture a way of working that will keep us on the straight and narrow and get us to win games.

"First thing first, before we worry about anything else, we have got to get players fit, and I mean fully Premier League fit.

"Then I will look at it and think we need to really start scrutinising the group. There is some scrutiny and analysis but that is when we can really say where are we now?"

Despite starting against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, and again against the Magpies at St James' Park, both James Tarkowski and Ashley Barnes aren't yet up to speed.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson's return to the squad will be treated with caution, similarly to Republic of Ireland international Robbie Brady.

And then there's captain Ben Mee, Jack Cork, Jay Rodriguez and Matt Lowton who are closing in on a return to action.

Dyche said: "We are putting players out there who are not fully fit and not 100 percent fit so we have to correct that.

"We will get players fit again and we still have four back at base who are important players.

"We're missing a lot of players, but they are getting back. Johann's had some minutes, which is good because we thought that could be a long one.

"He's done well with that and hopefully he'll get some international football as well to top his fitness up.

"We've had to be careful with Robbie Brady with his cracked rib, but he might get some football this week.

"Back home we've still got Corky, Ben Mee, Jay Rodriguez, Matt Lowton, so we are coming back to some kind of a group, but obviously we're not there yet."

Dyche believes that his squad is well rounded when at full strength, despite the concession that his group is up to three players short of where it needs to be.

Burnley have only been able to add back up goalkeeper Will Norris and Brighton midfielder Dale Stephens to their books during a frustrating window, with any hope of striking a deal for Liverpool's Harry Wilson now looking dead in the water.

However, Dyche isn't prepared to condemn his side's poor start to the campaign at this point.

"This is the most stretched we've been, game after game, over this beginning period, which has included the cup games," he said. "We've asked a lot of the players physically.

"People do forget, because of the amount of injuries, you can lose sight of where the group is and when we get everyone fit and look at the squad then we might be one or two short, possibly three at a stretch, but generally I think you would think it was a rounded squad."