Burnley FC: Zian Flemming genius creates clear Scott Parker problem | OneFootball

Zian Flemming's wonder goal has given Scott Parker yet another selection headache

In a season that's thrown up several conundrums for Scott Parker to solve, including a summer decimation of the squad, his latest dilemma is more of a welcome one.

Zian Flemming has been a pit-part player since his summer move from Millwall, showing little when he's played to suggest that he should be in the team on a more regular basis, although he has largely been played out of position, playing most games as a lone striker.

He was introduced as a number nine against Norwich City last weekend too, but he finally made a telling impact when he rattled home a 30-yard screamer to spark a turnaround that saw the Clarets win 2-1.

That win kept Burnley firmly in touch with the automatic promotion race, and the promising thing for Clarets fans is that their team haven't really got going yet, with several laboured performances holding them back this term.

They have at times shown signs of turning things around, but are yet to deliver that on a consistent basis, so Flemming's flash of brilliance could serve as a source of inspiration for Parker.

Burnley haven't seen the best of Zian Flemming yet

Since Flemming joined from Millwall on transfer deadline day, Burnley are yet to truly see the best of Flemming, which largely comes back to the point that he's yet to get a run of games in his preferred position behind the striker.

Instead, he's been the man tasked with playing as the striker in the continued absence of Lyle Foster, but it's clear for all to see that he simply can't play to his full capabilities in that position.

In fact, he's only really been given one true go to play at number ten and he scored the equaliser against Hull back in October from that position, and the rest of his games have largely all been as a striker.

He's got the added problem now that Parker has identified Jeremy Sarmiento as a number ten, so he's now competing against a similar calibre player for the shirt, but after the Ecuadorian has performed admirably lately, pushing him out of the team would be harsh.

Scott Parker needs to get Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento into the same team

Parker's big problem comes in the fact that Flemming is almost too good to leave on the bench given his record at this level, but fitting him into the team isn't easy at times.

He does, however, need to find a way to do it, as the pair are among the best players he has in the squad in an attacking sense, but the big issue comes in the form that both of their strongest positions are number ten.

Burnley have at times this season utilised Sarmiento off the left, and although he isn't quite as effective there as he is through the middle, it seems that pushing him out wide is the only way to get both in the same team.

Even when he's played there this season, Parker has given him license to roam a little and come inside to affect the game, so it's something that could work.

Whether Parker chooses to do it or not remains to be seen, but with goalscoring still an issue for the Clarets, he's back to square one in the fact he needs to change something.