BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe has revealed he would consider loaning out a goalkeeper, after picking Lee Grant to start the season.

The Clarets increased their goalkeeping numbers to three after signing free agent Jon Stewart on a one-year deal last week.

The 22-year-old accepted he was third in line.

But boss Howe admitted it would be hard to keep them all happy, after Grant pipped long-serving stopper Brian Jensen in the battle to face Watford on Saturday.

“It was a really tough call – probably the hardest decision I had to make,” admitted the Burnley boss.

“Both goalkeepers have pushed each other and while they’ve both been excellent Beast (Jensen), through no fault of his own, has found himself out of the team.

“I had to pick one.

“Granty hasn’t conceded a goal in pre-season and I said I’d pick the best goalkeeper.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision.”

Howe added: “Whoever I left out was going to be disappointed and probably say that they wanted to go out on loan to play because they’re both experienced goalkeepers and they’re both good enough to play in the Championship.

“So keeping them both happy is going to be difficult if not impossible, so we’ll have to look at what develops over the coming weeks.

“There’s a possibility of (a loan spell). I rate them both very highly.

“Unfortunately there’s only one position up for grabs.”