Before Burnley's clash with Watford on Saturday, Scott Parker has issued a heartening injury update in regard to both Maxime Esteve and Jeremy Sarmiento.
The pair both limped off in the Clarets 2-1 win at Norwich City last weekend, but Parker has claimed that the pair are progressing well in the lead up to this weekend's clash.
That was a huge win in Burnley's push to finish in the top two and was something of a statement win at the home of a side with an exemplary record at Carrow Road this season.
The Clarets next task is to back it up at home to Watford, and having drawn two games in a row there, there's an element of pressure on Parker's side to do so, so he'll need all hands to the pump this weekend.
evan ferguson x marco silva x scott parker Related
Burnley FC face Fulham battle for Premier League striker
A host of high-level teams are set to compete for the Irishman in the new year.
Scott Parker will make late calls on Jeremy Sarmiento and Maxime Esteve
Esteve
After Esteve limped off in the first half at Carrow Road last week with an unexplained injury that just forced him to hit the deck out of nowhere, Burnley fans have been sweating on his availability all week.
The same goes for Sarmiento, who has been an integral player for the Clarets of late, but he too trudged off at the weekend after being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge.
Fortunately for Clarets fans, Parker issued a positive update in the pre-match press conference and hopes to have both available for the weekend, though he has yet to make a call.
He said before the Watford clash: "Both are moving in the right direction. We will keep monitoring them and make the call on their inclusion tomorrow."
It promises to be a big 24 hours then for Burnley, who know that Esteve and Sarmiento have been two of their best players of late, so having them available could be huge to their chances of winning.
Maxime Esteve would be a huge loss now CJ Egan-Riley is fit again
MixCollage-15-Oct-2024-11-11-AM-2670
The centre back pairing of CJ Egan-Riley and Esteve has been the foundations upon which Burnley's success has been built this season, and after the Manchester City academy graduate returned from injury himself last week, it was hoped the pair could pick up where they left off.
Burnley's record when Esteve and Egan-Riley play together (Transfermarkt)
Matches
15
Injury robbed Esteve of the chance to do so last weekend, and it would be a huge blow to do without him again this weekend, with that defensive duo certainly Parker's first choice.
At least with Sarmiento, Burnley have a like-for-like replacement with Zian Flemming, but with Esteve, the Clarets have no other left-sided centre-backs capable of filling the gap like he does.