STEPHEN Ward is unlikely to be fit for Burnley's clash with Tottenham on Saturday, but Jonathan Walters and Dean Marney could be involved.

Ward missed last weekend's trip to Brighton with a knee injury and he is set to be absent again this weekend, with Charlie Taylor continuing to deputise.

Both Walters and Marney are close to first-team returns and they could be on their bench for the visit of Spurs, with Sean Dyche admitting his squad is 'stretched'

"Wardy I don’t think will make, it’s more of a settling down period, it’s a wear and tear situation. I don’t want to put timescales on it but we’re hopeful it’s well on the way to recovery," Dyche said of his left-back.

"Jon Walters is getting closer, he could be in contention, Dean Marney could be in contention as well.

"Robbie (Brady) is longer term as is Tom (Heaton) but Tom is going along really nicely now.

"We’re a little bit stretched for the first time in a while but it does happen now and again and when you add in a suspension it makes a little big stretched.

"But I have great faith in the players and it’s a great opportunity for other people to go into the team and deliver performances, which historically they have done."