"It's remembering how good a player he is" - Sean Dyche on former Manchester United youngster Dwight McNeil

The Rochdale-born academy product had made his first start for the club in August 2018 against Olympiakos in the second leg of the Clarets' Europa League tie at Turf Moor, earning a full Premier League debut against Manchester United, the club he left aged 14, three days later.

However, he would not start again until Matchday 20 that season, at home to West Ham, with Burnley 18th in the table on 12 points.

McNeil starred, scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win, and he started every game, bar the penultimate fixture at Everton, that season, as Burnley collected 28 points from 16 games to stay up with three games to spare.

He has since been a virtual ever-present in the side, making 127 appearances, scoring seven goals, while representing England at Under 20 and 21 level.

McNeil has been linked with a string of elite clubs, home and abroad, with a potential fee of £40m bandied about, but he finds himself without a goal since a sensational strike at Goodison Park last March, while he has only one assist to his name so far this term.

Only Trent Alexander-Arnold, James Ward-Prowse and Andy Robertson have put over more crosses this season, but the Clarets have struggled for goals - only Norwich have scored fewer - and McNeil has come in for criticism on message boards and social media.

Dyche has no doubt he is a top player, it is just about releasing the pressure and proving himself again.

Dyche said: "We still want Dwight to break the backline more, we've spoken to him about that and shown him analysis on that, getting the ball in quality positions, not just him, as a team.

"But it is about that final moment, and that's where we've had question marks this season, can we find that moment, that real quality?

"We're still working to find that.

"I think people expect more the more games you play...Dwight's now recognised by our fans, by ourselves, his fellow players as a player who can really take a game on.

"That's part of your professional development.

"When you come into the side when you are young, you almost get a free feeling, you're buzzing off playing and the fans expect you to have a period of maturation, and now he's over 100 games in and people ask more questions.

"That's a big part of his professional development, if you want to be a big player, you have to go and deliver, and if people question you, you have to focus on what you're doing, how you're doing it, and redeliver.

"That's just part of being a top player, and he is a top player."

Dyche has often spoken about wanting McNeil to play with more of a smile on his face, and he added: "He's got that body language we've spoken to him about, that way some people are, he questions himself a lot - a lot of it is authentic, he puts a lot of pressure on himself.

"We've spoken to him about that, you've got to release that, because you don't want to put too much on yourself.

"You have to put the demand on yourself, but there's a difference and sometimes you can overthink things a bit.

"We want him to play with freedom, enjoy his football, but when you overthink things you can get a bit safe, too many touches, especially when you're still relatively young.

"With the older players, if they go through a dip, most of them play very simple, two touches, secure it, pass it, build your confidence, and find a better flow.

"When you're younger you think you've got to do something outstanding all the time, have lots of touches, weave and dribble, but it's finding that balance, remembering how good a player he is and finding that freedom to play."