Sean Dyche doubts ‘powerful’ Chelsea team will be distracted by club sale

Burnley boss Sean Dyche doubts Chelsea will be any less of a tough opponent on Saturday following the news Roman Abramovich is selling the club.

Abramovich’s intention to sell the Blues was confirmed in a club statement on Wednesday evening, shortly before the FA Cup tie at Luton that they won 3-2 having twice been behind.

Dyche was asked at his press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash at Turf Moor if he thought the ownership situation potentially being on Chelsea players’ minds was possibly something Burnley could take advantage of.

And he 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