SEAN Dyche doesn't believe Stephen Ward's injury is too serious after the left-back was forced off in the win at Crystal Palace.

The 31-year-old had been touch and go before the trip to Selhurst Park and he twice required treatment on his knee during the game before limping off at the end of the first half, to be replaced by Jon Flanagan.

While Dyche was disappointed to lose Ward, who has been outstanding in recent weeks, he was pleased with the performance of on-loan Liverpool man Flanagan, who turned in his best 45 minutes in a Burnley shirt.

"I don't think and we hope it's not too serious, so we'll see how that settles down, but he was touch and go before the game," Dyche said of Ward's injury.

"Flanno was very good though, very hard game to come into - all Premier League games are, but they have wide men that can carry the ball, so he did a great job."

Dyche also had Robbie Brady on the bench, who can play left-back as well, but he didn't feel it was an ideal game to use him in that position.

"I know he can play there, but I didn't think it was that type of game," Dyche said. "I thought we needed a defender defender, rather than an attacking defender, which he would be if he played there."