Tonight's team news

Last updated : 05 March 2002 By Tony Scholes

Andy Payton - fit again
Glen Little is now back home from hospital with thankfully no damage after being knocked unconscious on Saturday but under FA rules he is not allowed to play for a fortnight however he is feeling.

That means Stan will have to make a change with a good number of options. He could use Ian Moore there as on Saturday or in fact play Ian Moore up front with Robbie Blake in that position. Brad Maylett could get the nod for only his third first team league start or Lee Briscoe could move back into midfield with Graham Branch coming in at left back. We could even see Paul Cook back in the starting line up after he did so well at Crewe.

Tony Grant is recovering from his hamstring injury but won't be fit to play in this game but there is good news regarding Andy Payton. He is fit again following the injury sustained in a reserve match but with no reserve team games recently he is lacking match fitness. With the Clarets looking anything but prolific in front of goal just now it would be good to see Payts back in for his first start in over a year.

So what will the starting line up be? This is difficult but I think Stan will go for experience and bring in Paul Cook. I also think he could well return to a 4-5-1 formation and I think the starting line up could be something like: Marlon Beresford, Dean West, Steve Davis, Arthur Gnohere, Graham Branch, Paul Weller, Kevin Ball, Lee Briscoe, Paul Cook, Alan Moore, Gareth Taylor. The subs would be from Gordon Armstrong, Brad Maylett, Ian Cox, Mark McGregor, Ian Moore and Robbie Blake.

Walsall are boosted by the return from suspension of Darren Byfield and he is expected to go straight back into the side as goals have been at a premium. Byfield scored his first ever league goal against the Clarets three seasons ago when on loan at Preston.

Brett Angell will be in the Walsall squad but probably on the bench and he is a player who has caused us some problems more than once over the past few years.

Walsall will select from the same squad that drew at Portsmouth plus Byfield and that plus more on our opponents can be found in our Match Preview