‘I doubt it’ – Dyche cannot see ‘powerful’ Chelsea being affected by sale

Burnley manager Sean Dyche cannot see Chelsea being any easier to play against this weekend following the news that Roman Abramovich is selling the club.

Abramovich confirmed that he intended to sell Chelsea on Wednesday evening. This announcement came shortly before their 3-2 win against Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round.

The Clarets face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. Dyche has been asked if he thinks this sale will affect his opponents.

Ranking all 24 £25m-plus signings Abramovich made at Chelsea…

And Dyche said: “I doubt it. They’ve still got some top players.

“I didn’t think they overly struggled at Luton, I thought Luton gave a very good performance and Chelsea, as they do, found big moments because they have big players.

“I think anything that does affect them, if it does affect them, is helpful. But I don’t really see that they’ve suddenly become a bad team or anything. They’ve got some fine players, that’s for sure, so I’m thinking they’re still going to be a solid outfit as a minimum.

“Even in what people have described as an indifferent run, they’ve only lost one in 10 (league games). I think that’s a fair reflection on the fact they’re still a powerful side.”

Abramovich’s decision to sell, amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, comes with Chelsea having won 19 major trophies since he purchased the club in 2003.

Dyche said when asked if he felt Abramovich had made the right call in the circumstances: “I have no clue of the whys and wherefores of their club and the situation. That’ll be down to him.”

On the Russian-Israeli billionaire’s time at Chelsea, Dyche said: “Nineteen trophies in 19 years, I don’t think that’s a bad stat, I think he’ll be reasonably happy with that. All the other whys