Burnley boss Sean Dyche casts doubts over Ben Mee’s return date from injury

Burnley will again be without captain Ben Mee when they host Manchester City on Saturday and there are doubts over his chances of being involved in next week’s clashes with Everton and Norwich.

The defender has sat out the Clarets’ last two matches, against Chelsea and Brentford, after coming off injured in the first half against Leicester on March 1.

Burnley, who lost all three games, are currently 19th in the Premier League with 21 points from 27 games, four points behind 17th-placed Everton.

After playing leaders City at Turf Moor this weekend, they then face Everton at home next Wednesday before travelling to rock-bottom Norwich four days later.

Boss Sean Dyche said at his press conference ahead of Saturday’s match: “Ben Mee is making progress but won’t be there yet.”

Dyche was then asked if any players who have been out would have a chance for next Wednesday or Sunday, and said: “We’ll wait and see. I doubt it with Ben.”

Mee himself wrote on Twitter: “A good session today – rehab going well. Doing everything to get back fit as soon as I can.”

Fellow centre-back Nathan Collins is suspended after being sent off against Brentford, while full-back Erik Pieters, midfielders Dale Stephens and Johann Berg Gudmundsson and forward Matej Vydra are the other sidelined players.

Dyche said: “It’s a big challenge against Man City and the likes, the super-powers as I call them.

“We’ve beaten these sides in the past, but it’s very difficult. I don’t think our season’s going to be made on this game, but it’s helpful if you can get a result of some kind. We’ll take it on, that’s what you have to do in these games.

“We’ll certainly be focusing on Man City. Our mentality is to set up a team that can win, and then we park that one and