Injury problems have restricted the Clarets’ wideman to just eight appearances so far this campaign.

His last came in an FA Cup win over Peterborough when a further hamstring problem sustained in the 4-2 victory at the turn of the year spelled more time on the sidelines.

Gudmundsson has since been close to a comeback and having shaken off a subsequent knock picked up in training in February, the Iceland international is eyeing a return to action once the Premier League gets the go-ahead to resume.

Gudmundsson goal.jpg

“It’s been a tough and frustrating season,” admitted Gudmundsson, who had got off to a flyer with a goal in an opening-day win over Southampton and a key man for the Clarets when fit and firing.

“This break might have come at a good time to get my body right and hopefully play a big part in the last nine games.

“There’s still a lot of football to be played – hopefully.

“Every player wants to finish off the season. It would be good for the public as well to get games back on, even if it’s behind closed doors.

“People could stay at home and watch some Premier League football – that would be fantastic for everyone and for me as well. I hope I can get back to training fully fit.”

There has been no date put on a return to training for the Clarets and their top-flight rivals as they await advice from the Government on a safe timescale for a resumption of activities amid the coronavirus pandemic which has brought football to a halt.

Any re-start of the league programme would then follow accordingly with Gudmundsson keen to help the Clarets build on a superb run of form that propelled them into the top 10 before the lockdown.

Gudmundsson cele.jpg

“The lads have done fantastic this season,” he added. “There have been some bad periods – but we have characters in that dressing room who don’t get too down and can start winning again.

“Everyone just wants to go back to training as quickly as possible. But first we have to know that everyone is safe and healthy and it’s okay to return to training.

“We all desperately want to start training again and play again. I’m hearing that some countries are allowed back into training, so hopefully it won’t be too long.”

In the meantime, Gudmundsson is building up his fitness at home and spending time with his family.

And when it comes to home entertainment, the 29-year-old is something of an expert.

While many Clarets’ fans have turned to playing board games to fill some time, Gudmundsson can claim to have helped devise and produce one back in his home country.

With Iceland’s national team riding high on the back of their heroics at the 2016 European Championships in France, Gudmundsson and a friend got together to develop a football quiz game which became a popular Christmas present among football fans back home.

Johann board game.jpg

“It’s called – Beint I Mark – and the translation is ‘straight on goal’ something like that,” explained Turf Moor’s own game-changer.

“Football was massive in Iceland at the time and we thought it would be something good for kids – and adults as well.

“There are different levels, some difficult ones and some easy – so it was something the whole family could play together. It sold quite well – a lot of friends came together to play it.

“It was a fun project, coming up with questions, working out how the game should work. Obviously, it was still football but a different aspect of it, creating the questions.

“I think you could definitely still find it somewhere and I’ve got a few in my storage space at home in Iceland. I could dig them out!”

	POS	Team	PL	PTS
	5	BRI	0	0
	6	BUR	0	0
	7	CHE	0	0

	POS	Team	PL	PTS
	5	BRI	0	0
	6	BUR	0	0
	7	CHE	0	0

Premier League table

Premier League table