Dyche eager to reward fans patience

Loyal support: The Burnley fans in full voice at Arsenal

His side host Hull City at Turf Moor tomorrow (kick-off 3 p.m.) as the only team in the country without a victory to their name so far this term.

But even after the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday, the 3,000 travelling supporters gave their heroes a rousing reception as they left the field, and Dyche said: “The fans know they have a motivated manager, staff and players, and we are all striving to improve.

“We want to reward the fans with wins.

“They have been superb - I asked for their backing when I got here, and last season, and their positivity and belief in what we are trying to do has been very important.

“The players have got that platform to grow and improve at this level, and long may it continue.”

Four out of the next six Premier League games are at home, starting tomorrow, and after playing seven of the top 11 sides in the current table, the next five games are against teams in the bottom eight.

The Clarets take on Hull, Stoke City, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and QPR, and Dyche feels such games are more realistic barometers for his players: “All batches of games are important, you saw that last season, but you can’t define it.

“The real top element of the Premier League, like going to Arsenal - that market is beyond us.

“This market in the coming games is more realistic a challlenge.

“Historically, the Premier League shows that, it was split into two, but now it is probably three - the haves, the have a bit less and the have even less!”

The next month represents Burnley’s best chance to break their duck, but Dyche is focused beyond that first win: “At the end of the day, the first win is a story for other people. We know we need a win, but we need more than just one.

“Our journey is beyond one win - we need to win one and win two, keep working hard, learning and moving forward.

“If you take out the results, although we’re in a results business, the players are progressing and developing, but we have to do that while winning.

“It’s a difficult task, but visually the players are improving, and now that is about turning that improvement into wins in the Premier League.”