Will Nick Pope figure against Liverpool? Burnley boss Sean Dyche issues injury update

Nick Pope is "touch and go" for Wednesday night's final home game of the season against Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp with Nick Pope at Anfield last seasonJurgen Klopp with Nick Pope at Anfield last season
Jurgen Klopp with Nick Pope at Anfield last season

Pope has missed three of the last six games, initially with a shoulder problem, and now a knee injury, but after sitting out the defeat against Leeds on Saturday, Dyche said: “Popey has a niggly knee, we’ve had it looked at, and at this stage they’re happy with it.

“It needs to settle down, but he has a chance of playing maybe Wednesday, a better chance on Sunday.”

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That remains the case, that he could feature against the Reds, but maybe has more chance of featuring in the last game of the season at Sheffield United on Sunday.

Dyche said on Tuesday afternoon: "Popey is touch and go whether he plays in this one, so we'll have to make a call on that."

However, he will be without Phil Bardsley, Dale Stephens, Kevin Long and Robbie Brady again: "Bardo has had a hernia operation, so he's just in the early stages of recovery from that, Dale Stephens has had an operation on his ankle, so he's recovering from that, Kevin Long is still recovering from a minor operation on his Achilles, and Robbie Brady is still out.

"None of those four will figure, it's kind of touch and go over what decision we come up with Popey."

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One person who would be glad to see Pope's name missing from the starting line-up would be Jurgen Klopp, who hailed the "sensational" Burnley keeper's display in a 1-1 draw at Anfield last July - and was also in inspired form in the Clarets' 1-0 win at Liverpool in January.

Klopp said last year: "It was a good performance in most parts of the game. There were moments when it was Liverpool against Nick Pope It's hard to create against a team so organised but we created super chances. There was always one guy who wanted to deny us and it was Nick Pope."