'We will have to grind it out' - Burnley skipper Ben Mee on a depleted squad

The Clarets lost 5-0 at Mee's former club Manchester City on Monday night, with Sean Dyche only able to field seven of the new allocation of nine substitutes.

Two of the seven were goalkeepers, and five hadn't played a single minute of competitive action for the club.

Dycher was without Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Robbie Brady through injury, while Jeff Hendrick, Phil Bardsley, Aaron Lennon, Joe Hart and Adam Legzdins look unlikely to feature again, with their contracts up at the end of June.

Dyche has spoken of his dismay at the 'self-inflicted' contract situation, and admitted: “The players have asked me a few questions about why certain things have not been done and I have tried to explain as best I could."

Mee said: "It is interesting what is going on at our club at the minute.

"It is a lot of games to play in a short space of time, and the lads need to keep themselves fit and we don't have a big squad at all.

"We are missing a few players and have let a few players go and I don't know what to say about it to be honest.

"We have just got to work hard and grind it out and that is what we will do as a group of players."