Season could be over for key Burnley pair Mee and Cork

BURNLEY, England, July 5 (Reuters) - Burnley could be without their influential pair Ben Mee and Jack Cork for the remainder of the season, manager Sean Dyche said after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Skipper and central defender Mee missed his first game of the season after picking up a thigh injury in training on Friday and midfielder Cork was ruled out with an ankle injury he suffered at Crystal Palace in midweek.

“A three-game week is not helpful, but it could be touch and go whether they get back this season,” said Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

“Ben has a thigh strain, so I don’t think it’s going to be an easy or quick turnaround, and Jack has a reasonably serious ankle injury and there is a chance he’ll need surgery," he added.

"That’s looking likely and we’ll have to wait on that, but that certainly means he’s going to be out, certainly for this immediate spell of games and, for both of them, possibly for the remaining games," he said.

Burnley have managed to pick up seven points in the past three games after returning to action with a 5-0 hammering at Manchester City. Their squad was already depleted by injuries and reduced in size by players leaving after their contracts ran out.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s been that since we get back, and we still have a competitive edge to us and seven out of nine points is not something to get too down about in this league," said Dyche.

The Clarets manager was able to name three players coming back from injury on his bench against the Blades with Chris Wood and Johann Berg-Gudmundsson coming on and Robbie Brady also among the substitutes.

Burnley are ninth and are still in with a chance of Europa League football next season. (Reporting by Simon Evans Editing by Toby Davis)