BURNLEY midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson is facing yet another spell on the sidelines after suffering medial knee ligament damage.

But Clarets boss Sean Dyche has said the injury is not as bad as first feared.

Gudmundsson required oxygen and was carried off on a stretcher after being caught by a challenge from Sheffield United defender Jack Robinson, in the Carabao Cup second round tie that Burnley won 5-4 on penalties last night.

Dyche slammed the incident, for which Robinson was not cautioned, as a red card offence in the immediate aftermath, and feared a lengthy lay-off for the Iceland international.

But ahead of Sunday's trip to Leicester City, for what will be Burnley's first Premier League game of 2020/21, the Burnley boss said: "The early update is it is a damaged medial ligament in his knee, but it is better than what we thought it could have been.

"We were very concerned and he was. It has calmed down overnight a little bit, we have had a scan and it is slightly better than what we thought, so that is good news.

"There is no timescale yet but hopefully it should settle down sooner rather than later. He has got lucky I think."

As well as Gudmundsson, Burnley will be without Ashley Barnes (groin), Ben Mee (thigh) and Jack Cork (ankle) when they open their Premier League campaign at the King Power Stadium.

James Tarkowski, who is wanted by West Ham and missed the cup win with a toe injury, will be assessed.

The central defender has been the subject of three failed bids from the Hammers and is also reportedly attracting interest from Leicester, and Dyche said: "He is a player that I definitely want to be here and unless something happens that is out of my control financially then he will be here.

"It's absolutely no surprise to me that there is people interested - that's what happens when you are a good footballer at a good club."

He added: "It is fair to say he is worth a considerable amount of money."