Sean Dyche's thoughts after Burnley's defeat against Manchester City

Sean Dyche’s focus quickly shifted to the crucial clash with Everton, after a 2-0 defeat against champions Manchester City at Turf Moor.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Burnley fell behind to a Kevin De Bruyne goal after five minutes, and Ilkay Gundogan added a second 20 minutes later, to effectively kill the game off as a contest.

And, asked whether his players showed Pep Guardiola’s side too much respect, Dyche said: "They are easy words, but it is tough when you are out there, 11 players who haven't played in a few weeks against a top side.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We tried to change it, just a little bit, get an extra midfielder in there, thinking we hadn't played for a while and only got our players back on Thursday.

BURNLEY, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: Sean Dyche, Manager of Burnley reacts during the Premier League match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor on April 02, 2022 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)BURNLEY, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: Sean Dyche, Manager of Burnley reacts during the Premier League match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor on April 02, 2022 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
BURNLEY, ENGLAND - APRIL 02: Sean Dyche, Manager of Burnley reacts during the Premier League match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor on April 02, 2022 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

"To try and mould that in a day and a half isn't that easy.

"Considering they have hardly had a game for weeks then you have to be reality bound.

"You can’t just flick a switch and they come out on fire, or I think that would be an unlikely.

"That was the idea tactically of putting an extra midfielder in there to try and get a feel of the game and keep it tight and make it awkward and let the game open up as the players are opening up into the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"That was the thinking but it didn’t work because they scored after five minutes and it alters the whole thinking.

"It changes the whole feel when they score after five minutes.

"We did look a bit rusty. It did look like they might have anticipated the game better.

"They are top players. It's a knock over everyone's head, we sort of stare at it, it gets laid down and they score.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Second one a bit similar, they break behind our lines, we're not back in time.

"Second half we got a lot stronger, which is pleasing, I spoke to the players at half-time and said 'right, now it's back to what we are doing, we have to remind ourselves of what we do, beyond this game, and get ourselves ready for the next.

"That was really to open up the mentality, and I thought it worked a little bit, Maxwel came on, looked sharp, Westy grew into the game, Browny is in real strong form, Azza, and all of a sudden we got a little bit of a foothold in the game."

Maxwel Cornet came on for Dwight McNeil at half-time, and Dyche explained: "Just one of them, I like what he does, and he's very good with his shape, but just looked a bit quiet today and a little bit off it physically.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Maxwel is chomping at the bit, been in and out and away and back, and I just wanted to try and affect the game, and I thought he did.

"They were easing a little bit in the second half, because they can absorb the game, and they did it very well.

"There were some positives in a tough afternoon. Not an easy game for Kevin Long to step back into, and he did fine.

"But it's always difficult to measure it against these.

"They are a top side, top manager, put together for hundreds of millions of pounds.

"You can beat them but it is very difficult.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It gets parked now, because we have 10 games to go and they are all important and all not against Man City.”

Burnley are four points behind Everton, who are at West Ham on Sunday in their game in hand, before coming to Turf Moor on Wednesday night, with the game shaping up to be all or nothing from the Clarets’ perspective.

Dyche added: "Every point counts wherever you get it from, the focus is on the next game.

"They are all important, if you win the next one, it doesn't make your season, you have to do a lot more than that.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It is a truth of a team like Man City, they had three efforts on target in the first half and scored two.

"We haven't done that all season, the biggest nemesis of our season is scoring chances, not just creating them.

"We've defined a lot of our season to now, now it is about changing it, players getting in that moment and actually taking the chances.

"That will be interesting over the next few games.

“But that is one of the defining factors, we need that freedom to take chances, and it will come.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“People talk about it (relegation) all season and I am used to it. If we can go and win it (the Everton game), that will be better.”

Dyche had felt it was as good a timeas any to face City, after the international break: “I want it (the game) to help, people were saying it was a bad time to play them but I thought it was a good time to play them.

"We had 11 games to go and we needed the players to get their eye in, get the international lads back.

“Actually I think it was a good time to play them because you want that game, of course you want a result, but if you can’t get a result it gives you that game time to get ready for the next one.”

Matej Vydra could be available after coming through an hour for Under 23s on Saturday, after a dislocated elbow: "Yeah, he'll at least be around the squad as long as there's no reaction.”