Vincent Kompany: Burnley will welcome Sean Dyche when he visits with Everton

Heinrich Griessel
1 November 2023

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany expects Everton's Sean Dyche to enjoy a special moment when he returns to Turf Moor on Wednesday night.

Dyche spent a decade in charge at Turf Moor and enjoyed plenty of highs with the Clarets before he left towards the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

The 52-year-old took over at relegation-threatened Everton in January and guided them to safety, but will now come up against his former club at Goodison Park in the Carabao Cup fourth round.

After Dyche was able to lead Burnley into the Premier League twice and brought Europa League football to Turf Moor in 2018, he is set to be given a special reception by the travelling support on Merseyside and his opposite number can understand why he remained at his current club for so long.

"Yeah I think for sure it will be a good moment for him," Kompany acknowledged.

"I can kind of relate as to when I played (Manchester) City for the first time. It is always a special moment but in the end this club in general has always been a club with a lot of stability.

"What is the number of managers that have been in the history of the club? I think it is a low number.

"Traditionally it has been a very stable club and obviously he used the time he had really well. He got the team in the Premier League, then he got them back up in the Premier League.

"It is the type of club it is and yeah I can actually appreciate what they've done over the years. It is a beautiful club to be a part of."

Kompany is Burnley's 29th permanent manager in the club's 141-year history, but will enter this fixture still smarting from a painful defeat at Bournemouth last weekend.

The Clarets were denied on two occasions the chance to leave the south coast with a point after a lengthy check by video assistant referee David Coote at Stockley Park eventually ruled out an 89th-minute effort by Jay Rodriguez.

VAR then seemingly missed a handball by Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham in the eighth minute of stoppage time, which left Kompany disappointed, but he hopes his squad will relish the quick turnaround.

He added: "For us it is an opportunity for sure to get the boots back on and get on the grass. That is the best way to talk and in the end whoever plays it is still the team sending a message.

"If I was them I would want to be back out on the grass as quick as possible. We have always spoken about in tough moments that is when you show who you really are and that's so important for me.

"But I don't need to be convinced by a lot of them because I know them, I've seen them and I know how they'll react. I know they'll roll up their sleeves and go again."

Right-back Connor Roberts will return after suspension but forward Lyle Foster (illness) must be assessed.