Sean Dyche marks 250th Premier League game with vital win at Brighton

A 3-0 success at Brighton added to impressive performances at Arsenal, and against Manchester United and Liverpool, and means Dyche's side have taken six points from five games to give themselves a boost at the wrong end of the table.

It was the perfect way to mark Dyche's 250th Premier League game in charge, as Wout Weghorst and Josh Brownhill netted their first goals for the club, before Aaron Lennon rattled in a third.

Dyche said, asked whether that result had been coming: "Certainly the last five games...we went down to Arsenal, very good performance, followed that up with other good performances and not got the rewards I thought we deserved, and today we did.

"The details we've talked about all season we delivered, and that made a big difference.

"That's been coming, and I'm pleased for the players, they've stayed clear-minded and clear-thinking about what we have to do to win games, and they've delivered without doubt today."

All three goals were well-contructed, even the second, which came from an Erik Pieters clearance: "I've said since I've been at the club, I want to play mixed football, create chances in all different situations - of course, you want pure goals like the first one, but we'll take any goal we can, particularly in a dry season where goals haven't been so free.

"You need goals to come in many different ways over a season, so we'd laid a marker today and we need to continue."

And while Dyche doesn't get carried away, it was an enjoyable win after a difficult time: "The players deserve that feeling, they've worked hard for it, and it's not about getting carried away or not, it's the reality of a season's work.

"You can't use the words I use and go mad over one result, every season is a restart for us, so that doesn't change, but we enjoy the moment, and our fans should as well.

"They've been absolutely outstanding, to get down here in numbers was a big ask with the weather.

"The players' mentality was firm, we couldn;t fly and had six hours on a coach, and the fans' mentality was firm as well.

"These are important factors."

Dyche was delighted with Lennon, who also had a big hand in Weghorst's opener: "I think he's been terrific. 401 Premier League games, I think he keeps going, he keeps working for the team, and deserves the credit, for his professionalism.

"But there were so many good performances, Wout was excellent, Azza with his industry and quality, the back five, Dwighty looked more like himself, a top young player, so a lot of good signs."

And on Weghorst, he added: "I'd be surprised if there's not more to come, the way he plays, his quality, he brings others into play and has a real team ethic."

Maxwel Cornet was forced off after the break after taking a kick to the back of his leg, but Dyche smiled: "He'll be alright!"

James Tarkowski and Ashley Westwood missed the game after testing postive for Covid, as Dyche explained: "We will have to wait and see on the testing schedule and the protocols and how quickly they recover and test clear."

However, Johann Berg Gudmundsson has suffered a blow: "Johann has unfortunately got re-injured and we think that is going to be a while which is unfortunate because he has worked so hard to get fit.

"Vyds is a couple of weeks at least of just training, he has a period of training to get back to where he needs to be.

"Charlie Taylor is looking stronger again and will possibly be around it but if not we hope he will be around it again at the weekend with a week’s training."