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Dwight McNeil could be given freedom to save Burnley after Sean Dyche sacking
Burnley fans were rocked by news on Friday morning that Sean Dyche has been sacked, and it’s all doom and gloom at Turf Moor with eight games to go.
The Premier League’s longest reigning manager is no more after his dismissal, leaving Burnley in 18th place in the table four points adrift from safety as he is kicked to the curb.
But what many fans seem to be overlooking is the fact that someone else will be coming in to replace him sooner rather than later, and they will most likely play an entirely different brand of football which could unlock some of the talent within the squad to save them.
The likes of Dwight McNeil, Aaron Lennon and Wout Weghorst have all largely been restricted by Dyche’s style of play, where he prioritised defending and physical duels over possession and building attacks with the ball on the ground.
But whoever comes in will have the ability to quickly change the way they attack through those three players, with McNeil shouldering the majority of the burden because he is quite frankly their best player.
The 22-year-old former Manchester United academy man has showed excellent defensive qualities during his time in the first-team, but it’s his dribbling, passing and energy that have seen him stand out among his peers more than anything else.
With some more tactical freedom afforded to him by any new manager, there is a chance some of his undeniable talent is able to be unlocked and he can help to guide this side to safety in the final eight games of the season.
If not, it could be the end of his Turf Moor career. As tweeted by Ryan Taylor, should they get relegated then McNeil is likely to be one of the main players targeted by Premier League clubs during the January transfer window and the club could be powerless to resist should a bid come in because of their precarious financial situation.
This is a huge chance, albeit in a small window, for McNeil to show his true qualities as a footballer and help save the club that gave him a true chance.
In other Football Wonderkids news, Levi Colwill to return to Chelsea this summer, Thomas Tuchel wants a look for first-team – report