SEAN Dyche believes Kieran Trippier will be looking forward to Sunday's game more than most, because of his special bond with Burnley.

Trippier began his career with Manchester City, but it was with the Clarets that he got his big break in 2011, enjoying promotion and a Premier League season at Turf Moor before moving on to Spurs for £3.5million two years ago.

The 26-year-old played understudy to Kyle Walker for his first two years at White Hart Lane. But after Walker's move to Manchester City, and a new five-year Tottenham contract signed in the summer, Trippier is Mauricio Pochettino's first choice right back and is set to line up against his old club.

And while for 90 minutes the focus will be on three points, Dyche says friends will otherwise be reunited.

“He’s got a good bond. He still speaks to a few of the lads here and I get the odd text message from him.

“He’s a great lad. I enjoyed his performances and I enjoyed him as a character. He was a good lad to be around - good in our group," said Dyche, who does not believe Trippier had to move to Spurs to show his Premier League potential, because he was already proving what he was capable of with Burnley.

“I think he was delivering it here. I don’t think it was about potential, I thought he was delivering in the Premier League.

“In our one season that he had with us in the Premier League I thought he had a really good season.

“I don’t think his progression is enormous, I thought he was delivering then. He’s had to wait his time because Kyle Walker was playing so well. But I always thought he was ready to go in and do a job.

“I think getting adjusted to the surroundings and his fellow players and stuff like that is maybe part of it. But the actual quality of performance, I thought he was very good with us and certainly worthy of playing in the Premier League. But I think he just had to wait for his chance to come at Spurs, and he has done, and he’s taken it when it has come."

He added: “The thing about Tripps is that he’s got a real desire to be playing all the time. He wants to be part of the team and wants to play football all the time. Sometimes players across the board in this profession are questioned for that. Fans say ‘they’re just happy to pick up the money’, but I can assure you he’s not.

“He desperately wants to play all the time. He’s got a real thirst and desire to play. So with that in mind he has done well to just stay professional, keep working at his game away on the training ground when he’s needed to and then wait for his chance.

“But when his chance has come he’s been ready deliver.

“I think he’s still moulding. His career’s still changing and his performances are still getting stronger in different ways.

“He’ll have learnt from us and he’ll have learnt from Pochettino and his staff so I think there will be differences (in his game). But he was already a very good player, in my opinion, when he left here and definitely a Premier League player.”