‘It’s an exciting challenge’ - Sean Dyche

The Clarets drew 3-3 at Manchester City, having been 2-0 up, before finally winning 4-1 at Hull City in April.

Burnley are on the road for the first time this season at Swansea City tomorrow, who, despite now becoming an established side in the top-flight, had their own struggles away from home under Brendan Rodgers in their first season following promotion.

Sean Dyche explained: “You don’t want to section the league off, you want to be open-minded, but some of the challenges are considerable.

“I was chatting with Brendan when we played Liverpool behind closed doors the other week, and he was saying Swansea didn’t win away in their first season in the Premier League until January.

“It is an unforgiving league, we know that from the outside looking in, and the other night against Chelsea we got a feel for it.

“The game turned quickly, and we’ve seen how that can happen.

“It’s guided discovery for us, we’re looking at ways of playing, and we plan accordingly.

“We have to flex the way we play when we need to, and we tried that the other night.

“It’s an exciting challenge.”

Looking back at that meagre tally four years ago, Dyche added: “It’s arguably that the group weren’t strong enough, so that’s our challenge.

“Is the group strong enough to compete? Your home form is important, most teams have better home form than away, but there are no guarantees.

“But I think the challenge has moved on from when Burnley were last in the Premier League, if you look at the resources available and money spent.”

He insists Burnley will be positive in their outlook however, refusing to “park the bus” as he loos to take the game to teams: “I think if people have written you off, it’s better to know you’ve give it a go with what you consider the appropriate manner to win football matches.

“For us, it’s been quite obvious to see a good demand from the group, a high tempo and some real quality.

“We like that way of working and it suits the players. I always believe in being pragmatic and working with the group I’ve got.

“The balance to that is, as the season develops we’ll see. I don’t think it’s our marker to see whether our style works against Chelsea.

“There is a market we’re tested against, we’ll see how that comes off.

“Is it a 4-4-2? If Danny Ings is playing like a number 10, it’s a matter of five yards here or there.

“I don’t overthink it.

“The tactical debate is one for people to write about.

“It’s how tactically you’re going to make sure you don’t get opened up too often, but still finding in transition a way of attacking to win football matches.

“That’s the never-ending question of football.

“That’s where our journey is, that’s the future of football, defending to attack, and attacking to defend.

“I think we did it well last season and we’ll try to do that again this season.”