Lyle Foster absence explained for Burnley's FA Cup victory against Millwall
Even with Burnley making a raft of changes for their cup tie against Millwall, it was still a surprise to see Lyle Foster left out of their squad.
The striker came straight back into Burnley’s squad in midweek for the 2-2 draw against Manchester United, having jetted straight back from the African Cup of Nations [AFCON].
But while Axel Tuanzebe and Hannibal – two others to recently return from AFCON – were involved for Saturday’s FA Cup tie, Foster was left out entirely.
When asked if Foster was simply being rested, manager Scott Parker told the Burnley Express: “No, he wasn't well.
"He fell ill yesterday, so he was out of the squad and didn't make it today due to illness.”
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Despite making eight changes for the 5-1 thrashing of Millwall, Parker was still able to name a surprisingly strong starting XI for their third round encounter.
Joe Worrall, Mike Tresor and Zian Flemming were unable to make it back in time, while Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen and Zeki Amdouni all remain longer-term concerns.
Parker will now be hoping Foster is able to recover in time for next weekend’s trip to Anfield, where the Clarets resume their campaign with a challenging fixture against Liverpool.
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