WOUT Weghorst could make his Premier League debut on Saturday against Watford, says Burnley boss Sean Dyche. The Clarets will bid to climb off the foot of the table in this weekend’s only top-flight fixture and Weghorst is expected to be included in their squad after joining from Wolfsburg for a reported £12 million.
Sean Dyche said: “He’s got a good chance of featuring, he’s fit and well. We’ve tested him and he’s enjoyed the challenge straight away. You look at the quality and experience of the player and a player like Wout has played enough football to know what the game is about.”
The 6ft 6in striker, capped 12 times by Holland, scored 59 goals in 118 Bundesliga appearances for Wolfsburg after signing from Alkmaar in 2018. Weghorst has been signed as a replacement for Chris Wood, who departed Turf Moor earlier last month after Newcastle triggered a £25m release clause.
Sean Dyche said: “If he (Weghorst) had that goal-scoring record in the Premier League do you think we would have got him for the money we got him for? I doubt it. His goals record suggests he can score, he’s technically a good player as well as having that physical prowess because of his sheer size.”
Burnley face a tough task to extend their stay in the top flight to a seventh successive season under Dyche. Their solitary league win in this campaign was against Brentford in October, but they lifted morale by holding Arsenal to a goalless draw last time out. Victory against Dyche’s former club and second-from-bottom Watford on Saturday would lift the Clarets to within a point of safety, with three games in hand on 17th-placed Norwich.
Sean Dyche added: “We’re well aware of the schedule and the games where you think, statistically, you have a better chance of winning. But like I say all the time it’s a season’s work, so I focus on the next game being the most important. It doesn’t make or break the season, of course it would be a favourable result to win the game, that’s quite obvious. Whatever happens we have to move forwards and keep the mentality we showed at Arsenal, getting back to basics, that was a good performance against a good side.”
Former England boss Roy Hodgson will take charge of Watford for the first time after replacing the sacked Claudio Ranieri.
Sean Dyche added: “Roy’s a fella I respect. I’ve always had a lot of time for him and (assistant) Ray Lewington down the years and he’ll bring what he does to their squad. He might change it, but I doubt it given his years’ service. He’ll try and bring a shape to the side, we’ll wait and see.”
