Hjalmar Ekdal
BURSweden
Right
Oct 21, 1998
27
6'2"
170 lb
CB
--
Controlled Centre Back
BurnleySolid showing in defeat
Ekdal registered four tackles (three won), 12 clearances and one interception in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace.
Analysis: After six games on the bench, Ekdal returned to the starting lineup in place of the reportedly injured Axel Tuanzebe. He put in a solid defensive performance despite the team's defeat, recording a season-high four tackles and 12 clearances.
On bench Saturday
Ekdal (eye) is on the bench for Saturday's clash against West Ham United.
Analysis: Ekdal was cleared to make the squad Saturday despite suffering a black eye and receiving stitches during training earlier in the week. The defender was named to the bench, marking a positive step forward after missing out on recent starts. His presence adds depth even if he's not fully fit to contribute from the opening whistle.
Dealt black eye, expected to be fine
Ekdal suffered a cut and a black eye that required stitches, but is still expected to play Saturday against West Ham, according to manager Scott Parker, per Matt Scrafton of the Burnley Express. "We had a little incident [Wednesday] with Hjalmar, but he should be fine. He just got a bit of a black eye in training, but other than that, everyone is fit. It's a pretty nasty one at the present time. Hopefully the swelling goes down, but he's had a couple of stitches in there."
Analysis: Ekdal was dealt an injury in training Wednesday and will have some testing to pass ahead of Saturday's match, as the defender took a hit to his eye in training, requiring him to take a break due to stitches and a black eye. The good news is he still appears to be an option for the club, although his injury could limit him. He hasn't started in their past four games and will likely earn a bench spot if picked, only a loss of depth if he misses out.
Misses due to tactical reasons
Ekdal missed Sunday's 2-1 loss against Aston Villa due to tactical reasons, coach Scott Parker confirmed in a press conference, according to Burnley Express. "Yeah, he's fine. It was just more tactical at this moment. These are not easy decisions you have to make as a coach sometimes. I have to make a decision on the dynamics of the game and who I may need or who I may not need from the bench."
Analysis: Ekdal started the first six games of the season in the Premier League but missed Sunday's defeat against Aston Villa due to tactical reasons. Coach Scott Parker wanted to bring in Axel Tuanzebe to add more presence in duels, and the Swedish defender was ultimately left out of the match squad for that reason. It remains uncertain if he will be included in the next match squad after the break.
Missing Sunday
Ekdal was absent from Sunday's 2-1 loss to Aston Villa due to undisclosed reasons.
Analysis: Ekdal has hit the sidelines this week for the club's final outing before the international break, missing out despite no prior reports of an injury. Initial thoughts may be that he left for the international break a day early, away from his club for their match before the two-week break. He is a regular starter, so this was a tough loss, with Axel Tuanzebe taking his spot Sunday. The hope will be that his absence was only due to a minor injury or not for an injury at all, with the club resuming play Oct. 18 against Leeds United.
Starting against Liverpool
Ekdal (undisclosed) is in the starting XI for Sunday's match against Liverpool.
Analysis: Ekdal has made his way back from an injury after he was dealing with some issues over the international break, with the defender immediately earning the start in the club's return to play. He is a regular starter in the defense for the club and has yet to miss a start this season, likely to continue seeing time in this role.
Should be available Sunday
Ekdal (undisclosed) should be available for Sunday's clash against Liverpool, coach Scott Parker said in the press conference. "All players have come back fit and healthy from the international break which is positive. Beyond that, not much has changed in terms of availability."
Analysis: Ekdal was forced off in the game against Kosovo due to an injury that revealed to be minor since he should be back available for Sunday's clash against the Reds. This is good news for the Clarets since Ekdal is an undisputed starter in the backline and will likely return instantly in the starting XI on Sunday.
Forced off injured
Ekdal (undisclosed) was forced off injured in Monday's 2-0 defeat against Kosovo, according to Sports Dunia.
Analysis: Ekdal was forced off in the 66th minute of Monday's defeat against Kosovo due to an apparent injury. The center-back of the Clarets will likely be assessed in the coming days to know the extent of his injury and if he has to miss some time when back in England. That said, if the injury proves to be significant, this would be a big blow for Burnley since Ekdal has been an undisputed starter in the backline and his absence would force a change, with Joe Worrall likely stepping in while he is out.
Integral to clean sheet
Ekdal had one cross (zero accurate) and one chance created in Saturday's 2-0 win against Sunderland.
Analysis: Ekdal led the Burnley clean sheet effort Saturday with 10 clearances as they held Sunderland at bay in a 2-0 home victory. In addition to clearing his lines, the central defender contributed two tackles (one won), one interception and one block across his 90 minutes of play. After spending the Clarets' Championship promotion season on loan, Ekdal has seemingly carved himself out a role in the Burnley defensive ranks for the 2025-2026 season, having played the full 90 minutes in each of Burnley's first two league fixtures.
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