Scott Parker addresses surprise decision to drop Kyle Walker for Burnley v Brighton
Scott Parker has confirmed there were no fitness issues behind his decision to drop Kyle Walker from Burnley’s starting XI on Saturday.
Many were surprised to see the 35-year-old only named among the substitutes against Brighton as the Clarets slumped to a 2-0 defeat.
While Walker’s form has been up and down this season, the defender performed okay at Fulham before the three-week break and there was no suggestion he would find himself out of the team.
But that’s where he found himself on Saturday, although he did enter the fray late on as an 82nd minute replacement for Bashir Humphreys, the man who played in his position at right-back.
Many had speculated that perhaps Walker was suffering with a knock, but the Burnley Express reported that was not the case and this was simply a case of selection.
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This was confirmed by Parker himself after the game, who said: “Yeah, I just felt that that was the best way to go, really. That's how I just see it.
"I think Walks has been brilliant at times this season, but at the same time just felt that that was a selection I made. But obviously that was the way it was, really.”
Elsewhere, Mike Tresor made his return from an ankle injury to appear as a late substitute, while Hjalmar Ekdal made a first league start since the start of January.
Axel Tuanzebe wasn’t involved despite his return from an Achilles problem for DR Congo during the international break, while Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.
Josh Laurent will come back into contention for next weekend’s trip to Nottingham Forest after serving his one-match ban.
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