HAYEN'S PRESS POINTS: LINCOLN CITY

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Clarets boss looks ahead to Saturday's trip to Lincoln

2026-10-22T16:00+01:00

HAYEN'S PRESS POINTS: LINCOLN CITY

Clarets boss looks ahead to Saturday's trip to Lincoln

2026-10-22T16:00+01:00

Nicky Hayen Watford Press Conference

Burnley Head Coach Nicky Hayen sat down with the media on Thursday afternoon, as the Clarets prepare to take on Lincoln City this Saturday.

Ahead of the trip to the ProAmpac Stadium, Hayen discussed the challenge his side will face against the Imps and the Clarets boss also gave an update on the progress of the injured players, including the importance of Josh Cullen nearing a return.

IMPS TEST

"You'll always have a next game quite early and this is a game where we just have to show our face like the first 35 minutes, but then be consistent for 95 minutes.

"Of course, they play quite direct and have a lot of physicality of course, with set-pieces, throw-ins, free-kicks, but also their direct style of play so we have to be aware of that.

"We have to go there and deliver the same quality like we did the first 35 minutes because if we do this, we can hurt everyone, but if we fall back in an average level like we did the last 60 minutes, then it becomes difficult.

"But what I said, we started the week positive and this is the mindset that we want to show Saturday in the game."

Nicky Hayen training session

INJURY UPDATE

“Now Jacob (Bruun Larsen) has a stress fracture for 12 weeks, Jamie (Vardy) is also out and then there's Jaydon (Banel), Zeki (Amdouni), Bash (Humphreys), Aaron (Ramsey), Hannibal, Josh Cullen and Anel (Ahmedhodzic), these are all players that if you have them in the selection, you have a lot of solutions, but for the moment they're not available.

"So it's a big impact. We have nine injuries. If you see how many injuries we already had this season, it's unfortunate, but it's the current situation we are in."

CAPTAIN CULLEN CLOSING IN

“He's quite close. So, unfortunately he had a setback two weeks ago, because otherwise he would already be back.

“Now he will play tomorrow (Friday) 45 minutes with the U21s and we'll see how that game goes and if he can make the squad selection for Saturday.”

"He is really important for us and you see it already on the training field. When Josh is there, he understands the game, he reads the game, talks to the players.

"You see a big difference. When do we press the right moment to press? If someone is alone, he says he has to wait and then step together."