CHRIS Wood remains absent for Burnley this weekend as the strikes continue to battle an ongoing knee problem.

The Clarets' record signing hasn't featured since coming off injured during the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham on December 23.

Initially it was hoped that the 26-year-old would only miss two or three weeks of action but Wood is still struggling with a medial knee ligament problem.

Asked about his recovery, Clarets boss Sean Dyche said: "They’re humans aren't they? One settles down quickly, one doesn’t. Medial ligament injuries usually settle down quickly, his hasn’t.

"Each person will heal in different ways, that’s the undefinable. You can treat two bodies exactly the same and they react differently.

"I was generally expecting it to be three weeks or so, now we’re at five or six weeks, which was unexpected, but they’re humans."

One player who could feature in a matchday squad for the first time since December 12 is Stephen Ward, who came through 70 minutes of an Under-23s game on Monday.

But Phil Bardsley will be absent after sustaining a hamstring strain against City.

"Wardy needs match fitness but he’s a fit fella physically. If needs be, he’s available and he’s mentally very clear," said Dyche.

"That’s another body we’ve got back, we want as many back as we can.

"Tarky’s with the physios, he’s not with us yet, Marney’s going well.

"Bardsley has a minor hamstring strain but I don’t think that’s long term."