Aaron Lennon "back to the top player he is" - Sean Dyche

Lennon, now 34, is playing his best football in a Claret and Blue shirt, in his second spell with Burnley, having scored twice in the last nine games, and forced Luke Milivojevic to put through his own goal to earn a point at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The former Leeds, Spurs and Everton man has started all bar one of those nine games, since being asked to play in the number 10 role against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and he has rolled back the years over the week as the Clarets have picked up seven points from nine to boost their survival hopes significantly.

The Leeds-born Lennon returned to the club in the summer after a season in the Turkish Süper Lig with Kayserispor, and has hit levels he struggled to find, by his own admission, in his first stint at the club, from January 2018 to the end of the 2019/20 season, which included helping the side qualify for European competition for the first time in 51 years.

Dyche explained: "When he came back in and I spoke with him – I've always had a lot of respect for him, he knows that – but he just felt he'd left a bit out there last time.

"He's a very honest professional, works super hard, he's a super-fit fella and looks after himself, but he felt he'd left a bit.

"I said, 'look, we'd like you to come back in, we want you to show us, enjoy it, rub off on others with your professionalism, and I think he's found that moment in time where you find your way back to the top player he is.

"Twenty one times he played for England, and he's a top player.”

Lennon’s mental health struggles have been well-documented, after being taken to hospital in April 2017, where he received "care and treatment for a stress-related illness".

And, happily, the smile is back on his face: "The greatest thing I've seen is he looks like a young lad just enjoying it again, and I love to see that in players.

"It's still a stressful career, hard work, but way different than people think when you're in it, but seeing him just play - attacking, running at players, he's asking more questions offensively, he's always been a willing worker, working from the shape, supporting his defender, but he's enjoying it.

"He took on their full back a number of times on Saturday, obviously creates a goal , just being dominant with his running power.

"He's still the quickest player, arguably every week, and all credit to him for continuing to enjoy it and taking on the challenge.

"Life's life, it's not easy – being a footballer doesn't solve everything, but he's been a credit since he's been here and since he's come back again, and like I say, it's good to see him enjoying it, and he looks like he really is enjoying it.

"And he's got a lot of respect - so he should have - from his fellow players.”

Lennon’s searing pace helped earn him a place in England's 2006 World Cup squad, at the age of 19, where he featured against Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador and the quarter-final against Portugal.

And that speed remains largely intact, as Dyche smiled: "He's frightening, I look at the stats and there's a per metre sprint stat, and he's very often the quickest player on the pitch still.

"I wouldn't have liked to have played against him when he was 19 at the World Cup!

"And he's still got that pace, no doubt.”

Having played in Germany in 2006, he made two appearances in South Africa in 2010, against the USA and Algeria, on his way to 21 England caps, on top of his nigh-on 600 career club appearances, of which over 400 have been made in the Premier League.

His experience is another big asset, but Dyche added: "I think the challenge now for him is to put his shoulders back and really enjoy it, that's the biggest thing for me, he's earned the right to get to this stage of his career, where he's really fit, in a good group, and enjoying it and rubbing off on others.

"I think his performances are speaking for that, the fans are rightly behind him and he's giving his lot, not just his quality, he runs hard for the team.”

Lennon is one of 10 senior players who are out of contract at the end of the season – including Phil Bardsley, Dale Stephens, Erik Pieters, Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Matej Vydra, Jay Rodriguez, Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes, the latter two who have options in the club’s favour.

And Lennon’s form has led to suggestions he could be playing himself to a new deal.

Dyche and the player himself are very relaxed about the situation: "He's one who knows the score, he came in here and said 'no gaffer, I'm happy', it's not about money, you can imagine he's done nicely for himself.

"It's not about big contracts for him, it's about being well in himself first of all, and enjoying his football, and when that mixture is right, which I think it is, his life feels right to him, it often mirrors what's going on on the pitch.”