SEAN Dyche has backed Kevin Long and Ashley Westwood to make the most of their chances if called upon for Burnley's visit to Newcastle on Wednesday night.

Injuries to James Tarkowski and Steven Defour look set to hand Long and Westwood rare Premier League starts in the North East.

Long has made first starts in the league this season thanks to injury and suspension but Westwood is yet to make a Premier League start this term.

But the former Aston Villa midfielder impressed in the FA Cup defeat at Manchester City at the beginning of January and Dyche has faith in him.

"I thought he was excellent against Manchester City recently. He’s a very good player," the Turf chief said.

"(He's an) immaculate professional, very good player. So I’ve absolutely no other thought: If we need him, he’ll play."

Long has been third choice behind Tarkowski and Ben Mee this season and he enjoyed a spell in the side during December when Mee missed two games through injury before Tarkowski was banned for three games following a charge of violent conduct.

Those five starts are more than Long had made in the previous three seasons for the Clarets and Dyche added: "He’s got more football this year and done very well."

While the injury pile-up has presented the Clarets chief with a few headaches, one advantage is the exposure to Premier League football it has allowed some of his players to get, including Long and Westwood.

While Dyche would rather that came through performances than a queue at the treatment table, he is pleased to see his players developing.

"The upside in the longer view of the achievement level of the club is that those players have got to know what it is," Dyche said.

"Some players haven’t played that much in the Premier League, so every time they get a window to play, the bigger picture beyond results is that it’s another player who is performing at the highest level, and therefore improving and learning.

"So the longer-term view needs that to happen. You don’t want it happening through injury, obviously. You’d prefer it to happen because they’re playing so well that you pick them.

"But if there is a positive at all to an injury, it is the fact that they get some game time, and that’s important in their learning and development, and so the group can improve and move forward.

"I wouldn’t put that in front of results, you understand. Results are key. But if you’re going to get stretched, then get players on the pitch who are going to improve."