Players have to take responsibility for Sean Dyche sacking, says Burnley's stand-in skipper James Tarkowski

Chairman Alan Pace revealed on Good Friday that the club had made the decision to part company with the 50-year-old after a nine-and-a-half-year marriage at Turf Moor.

The Clarets earned two promotions under the ex-Watford manager, two top 10 finishes in the Premier League, a first European campaign in more than half-a-century and are currently at the business end of a sixth successive season in the top flight.

However, with the threat of relegation increasing, he was relieved of his duties ahead of Easter Sunday's stalemate against West Ham United at the London Stadium.

"Since I've been here I've only known the 'gaffer' so the first couple of days training just didn't seem right with him not being there," said Tarkowski.

"I have to give a special mention to the 'gaffer', all the lads will say that he's been incredible for us and the football club. It's been strange but we're just trying to galvanise the group.

"He's been there so long, while at other clubs they've been chopping and changing their managers. It just seems a bit unusual to happen at our place, but the time has come."

Burnley rounded off 2021 as the poorest side of the 92 in the EPL and EFL in terms of their points per game ratio. The Clarets won just seven of their 39 games over the calendar year, collecting 34 points at an average of 0.87.

Their plight hasn't improved in the new year with just three victories in 15 games while returning 14 points on the whole. They remain three points adrift of safety with time running out.

Tarkowski, who has been deputising as captain in Ben Mee's absence, said: "The club felt that it was the right time to move in a different direction.

"The owners have been open and honest about it with us. They came to speak to us straight away after the manager left; they explained where things are at and where they're hoping to take it.

"It's about the group of players now and we've got to take responsibility, regardless of who you put in charge. We can't just go and make wholesale changes, it's about us turning up and doing our job. We've got to start winning football matches soon."

Three of Burnley's next four fixtures are at home, starting with Southampton on Thursday evening. They'll then entertain Wolves and Aston Villa either side of a trip to Vicarage Road to take on relegation rivals Watford.

"We hadn't won enough games, unfortunately, and we as players have got to take some responsibility because we've got to do better," Tarkowski continued.

"We've not been good enough all season and we weren't good enough in parts of last season.

"We need to turn that around as a group of players. It's coming towards the end of the season and I'm sure the owner has got ideas on where he wants to take the club from there.

"We need to stick together and the spirit of the group can get us through these next few games. We always seem to show up in times when things are against us so hopefully we can show that again."