Vincent Kompany addresses Manuel Benson’s continued lack of game time for Burnley.

The 26-year-old did not play in a game since mid-December as he was left off the field against Arsenal this past weekend.

The winger, who scored 13 goals in all competitions last season while playing a key part in Burnley’s championship win, has only made five appearances this season. Benson has played in just 100 minutes this season, and only two of those have come from the start.

Understandably, fans have expressed their perplexity over Benson’s lack of playing time this season, especially given how terribly the squad is still performing.

When asked why the Belgian hasn’t been playing, Kompany didn’t really answer, but he did imply that the winger hasn’t adjusted to the higher level.

“I’m making an effort to keep my attention off the specifics. We truly need to prioritize the group as a whole,” he stated on BBC Radio Lancashire.

Many of the players are returning from last season. At this point, everyone has had the chance to showcase themselves.

The fact is that it’s a league apart from all others in the globe, and while some players adjust more quickly than others, others take a little longer.

“I’m only thinking about the collective because that’s all we need at this time.”

Championship promotion-chasers Southampton were among those to express a strong interest in Benson, who was linked to leaving Turf Moor on multiple occasions in January, but a trade never came to pass.