Burnley manager Sean Dyche has hinted that he will make several changes to his first-team when the Clarets travel to local rivals Blackburn Rovers in their Carabao Cup second round tie on Wednesday evening.

Debut for Chris Wood could be on the cards

Dyche has made no less than six signings this summer and the latest of those, record buy Chris Wood, is expected to go straight into the squad for the East Lancashire derby.

The Burnley manager told the club website “the building process year-on-year has allowed us to have a deeper group, so if I do change the side there are players who I absolutely believe in and players who have played in the Premier League."

Dyche described the squad as "competitive" and explained he "believes in the whole squad". 

He added, “we’ve got players who didn’t play on Saturday who have been brought in here for millions of pounds."

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"Every game counts"

However, Dyche suggested he would not be taking Burnley's League One opposition lightly. “Every game counts, whatever it is. All the games are serious for me, and this one is definitely serious.”

He explained how important victory over Blackburn would be to the fans, who have sold out their allocation of 5,000 tickets. “It’s a great game for the fans and another big, important game for us."

Yet Dyche admits that he does not fully understand the depth of the rivalry, despite masterminding three consecutive victories after Burnley failed to beat their rivals for 35 years. “I have made it clear many times. I don’t understand the depth of it, having not lived it and breathed it all my life but, of course, I’m well aware of the feeling in this area and become even more aware of that in my time of being here."

Whilst Burnley fans will flock in their thousands to Ewood Park, the hosts have struggled to sell many tickets in advance for the local derby.

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