"Magic" - Scott Parker urged to deploy Manuel Benson for Burnley | OneFootball

Here FLW's Burnley fan pundit shared his thoughts on Manuel Benson for the upcoming season.

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Burnley will get their 2024/25 Championship campaign underway in over two weeks as they host Luton Town.

The Clarets will be keen to make a good start, as they expect to be competing at the top of the table in a bid to win promotion back to the top flight.

Parker’s arrival means it is a fresh start for these players, with them all keen to make a claim for a starting spot in the starting XI.

One player who will be more than keen to impress is winger Manuel Benson, who is embarking on his third campaign with the Lancashire side.

The 27-year-old was very impressive in his first season with Burnley, but last term he wasn’t relied upon as much, with him figuring just eight times in the Premier League.

Benson still has three years left to run on his Burnley contract and will be keen to be part of Parker’s plans going forward.

Scott Parker urged to play Manuel Benson for Burnley this season

Here we asked FLW’s Burnley fan pundit Ben Livingstone for his thoughts on Benson and if he expects the Belgian to play as much this season under the new manager.

He told FLW: “I think Manuel Benson will definitely have a role to play this season.

“You know, he has been playing in the pre-season games already. You have to say fair play to him because he was mistreated last season under Vincent Kompany.

“He could have easily kicked up a fuss, like Arijanet Muric and others have done, they have kicked up a fuss, not shown up to training.

“He (Benson) has come back, and he has just put the work in, so I think he will definitely be used more by Parker.

“I could see him being a mainstay in the team and, for me, in the Championship, he has got to be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

“He is a top, top player in this division, he has always got a bit of magic, and he can pull off a goal from nowhere. So, yeah, for me, he has definitely got to be in and around this season.”

Manuel Benson’s record in the Championship

When Benson joined Burnley in the 2022 summer transfer window, he was joining the club when they were preparing for life back in the second tier.

The Belgian joined without having any experience of English football, as he spent his career playing in his homeland or the Netherlands.

But the 27-year-old took to life in the Championship very well, as while he wasn’t a constant regular in the starting XI, he still made a big impact in the course of the campaign.

Benson played 33 times in the Championship, with only 14 of those games coming as a starter.

But the winger got into the habit of making an impact off the bench, and he managed to finish the campaign with 12 goals and three assists.

Benson was unable to have the same impact last season, as he played just eight times in the top flight and failed to score or register an assist.

Scott Parker must use Benson this season

Benson is a player who will be keen to prove that he still has a future at the club, so this pre-season is very important for the player.

The winger has three years left to run on his contract, so it is unlikely that the Clarets are going to look to move him on.

Therefore, given how well Benson did for Burnley in the 2022/23 season, it would be silly for Parker not to be looking to use the player this season.

The Belgian has shown that he is capable of making a big impact in this league whether he starts or comes off the bench, which is surely a useful tool to have in a 46-game campaign.