CLARETS reporter Tyrone Marshall discusses the talking points from Burnley's Europa League draw with Aberdeen on Thursday night.

GOALKEEPERS

Following Nick Pope’s return to the club on Tuesday after a summer with England at the World Cup in Russia, there has been plenty of talk about how the Clarets could keep their two Three Lions goalkeepers happy.

So it’s unfortunate that within days they’ve lost both to injury.

But for that calf problem picked up at Preston, Tom Heaton would have surely started at Pittodrie. The ill-timed issue meant it felt like his chance to lay down a challenge to Pope had gone.

That was until Pope went down in some distress early in the game at Aberdeen. The 24-year-old looked in considerable pain as he left the pitch and Sean Dyche suggested it looked like a serious shoulder injury.

That could hand Heaton another chance to impress, although he needs to get himself fit first and he hasn’t played competitively since suffering his own serious shoulder injury back in September.

If Heaton is still out next week then Anders Lindegaard will continue to deputise and the former Manchester United man is a more than able third choice goalkeeper.

But with Adam Lezgdins not named in the squad submitted to UEFA for this Europa League tie, it could see 18-year-old youth team goalkeeper Adam Bruce, who was third choice at Pittodrie, elevated to the bench at Turf Moor.

The injury to Pope is a cruel blow given his meteoric rise last season, but it will mean any decision on whether the two England men can be kept at the club is delayed for now.

VOKES

As the game panned out at Pittodrie it looked like a fixture made for Sam Vokes.

Burnley were seeing plenty of the ball in wide areas and with crosses flying in, the presence of the big Welshman could only be a benefit.

Sure enough when he entered proceedings on 67 minutes he was immediately into the action, winning headers and keeping the Clarets on the front foot.

His goal was a fabulous strike, turning the Dons defence before firing home, and the 28-year-old is becoming something of a super sub for Burnley.

It’s a tag he would like to shed and he will hope he has now played his way into the starting XI for the second leh.

His last three goals for the club have come as a substitute and all have been crucial, the winner at Southampton and the equaliser at Watford last term before this goal in Europe.

SHARPNESS

Aberdeen had been back in pre-season training 10 days longer than the Clarets and it was always likely they would try and capitalise on any fitness edge early in this game.

Sure enough the Dons started quickly. The opening stages were chaotic. The home side were happy to let Burnley’s back four have the ball but as soon as it went into midfield the red wall swarmed all over Ashley Westwood, Jack Cork and Jeff Hendrick, giving them no time to settle.

In the end, the Clarets got better as the game went on but Aberdeen perhaps had a touch more match sharpness.

This was a big leap from the pre-season friendlies Dyche’s men have been playing and it took them time to get into the pace of the game.

But with a friendly on Sunday and another week of training they should be sharper still come the second leg.

EUROPEAN NIGHTS

These Burnley fans have waited a long time to be back in Europe and they played their part in creating a wonderful atmosphere at Pittodrie.

It was a night to remember in what is an evocative, old school ground. When Aberdeen do move to pastures new it feels like part of the soul of the club will be lost.

Both sets of fans created excellent noise and the celebrations in the away when Vokes became the first Claret since Brian Miller to score in Europe looked very special.

Having had a taste of these Euro nights we all want more now. Turf Moor should come alive on Thursday as Burnley look to finish the job and set up hopefully many more memorable nights.

POLE POSITION

And the Clarets should now get the job done. That Vokes goal has put them in charge of this tie.

Two-legged affairs with the away goals rule active is something a lot of this side have never experienced before, but they would have known at 1-0 down that they weren’t in a good position.

A clean sheet for the Dons would have meant an away goal at Turf Moor would have left the Clarets needing three.

But Vokes rode to the rescue. Now a clean sheet for the Clarets next week will see them through. The back four were uncharacteristically poor on Thursday night, but they should be better for another week’s work and it would be no surprise to see them shut out the Dons next week.