Why Burnley boss Sean Dyche prefers using two strikers

And he feels strike pair Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes must be a nightmare to contend with.

Dyche’s preference has always been to get two, and sometimes three, centre forwards into his line up, as he feels the players at the cutting edge are the most important in the team.

He has bucked the trend for most of his time in the Premier League, and been openly questioned in sections of the media, but Wood and Barnes are demonstrating exactly why he wants a twin threat.

The pair have six goals each so far this season, and 29 between them in the Premier League over the calendar year.

Both have scored in the last two games, 3-0 wins over West Ham and Watford, and ahead of Saturday’s game with Crystal Palace, Dyche said: “A lot has been made of me playing two centre forwards, but I think centre forwards are the best players, in that it’s the hardest job, so if there are two of them, commonsensically it gives you at least somewhat of a better chance.

”But I appreciate the players you’ve got, if you’ve got a key centre forward who needs other players in midfield to go and adapt, if you’ve got wide players who can come inside and join in with the centre forward, then that’s another weapon.

“But with us, I think they need each other - and Jay Rod as well, he came on and nearly nicked a goal and was effective at Watford.

“I do like playing two centre forwards, I think it’s effective, when they play well, together, and when they link, when they do that, you usually see two centre halves in trouble.”