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Will Lyle Foster get a chance to bring some SA magic to EPL opener?
As South Africans, we can only dream!
Lyle Foster, seen here playing for Burnley against Manchester City in the FA Cup last season, has a chance to make his EPL debut for Burnley against City as the new season kicks off on Friday evening. Picture: Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR ‘LIVE’ SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES. AN ADDITIONAL 40 IMAGES MAY BE USED IN EXTRA TIME. NO VIDEO EMULATION. SOCIAL MEDIA IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES. AN ADDITIONAL 40 IMAGES MAY BE USED IN EXTRA TIME. NO USE IN BETTING PUBLICATIONS, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
The English Premier League 2023/24 season gets underway on Friday evening in a match that may just have a South African flavour to it, if Lyle Foster gets a chance to play for Burnley against the reigning champions Manchester City at Turf Moor.
Foster played a bit-part role as Burnley surged to the Championship title last season, joining in January, and used only sporadically by Burnley head coach Vincent Kompany.
Joining a settled, successful side mid-season, it was never going to be easy for Foster to force his way into the starting line-up, but now, with a full pre-season under his belt, could it be that Kompany is ready to put more faith in the former Orlando Pirates man?
Foster was left out of the Bafana Bafana squad that took on Morocco in their final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in June, with South Africa head coach Hugo Broos explaining that he had been asked to not pick him by Kompany, who wanted him to focus on a full pre-season with the Clarets.
This would indicate that the 22 year-old definitely forms a key part of Kompany’s plans. Striker Wout Weghorst’s return from a loan spell at Manchester United set alarm bells ringing in terms of Foster’s opportunities, but it now seems that Weghorst is off to the German Bundesliga on another loan.
It may well still be that Kompany prefers the experience of Jay Rodriguez up front against City, but, as long as he is fit, Foster will surely at least be available from the bench.
Following in Percy Tau’s footsteps?
If Foster does make his English Premier League debut against City, he will have esteemed South African company in this regard.
Percy Tau made his Premier League debut for Brighton and Hove Albion against City in January 2021, after finally getting a work permit to play for the Seagulls. Tau was the last South African to play in the Premier League, though he ultimately did not play much, making just three Premier League appearances, before being sold to Al Ahly the following season.
One hopes Foster fares better, and who knows, perhaps he could be the man to stun Pep Guardiola’s City on opening day.
As South Africans, we can only dream!
