We feel we can take on anyone again - Burnley boss Dyche

Burnley were in the relegation zone, two points above bottom side Huddersfield Town at halfway, after a 5-1 defeat at home to Everton on Boxing Day.

But 18 points from 27 later, including a draw at Old Trafford and last weekend’s win over Spurs later, and Dyche’s men are five points clear of the final relegation place, with 10 games to play.

They face Crystal Palace, who sit on the same points as Burnley, at Turf Moor on Saturday, after a first defeat in nine Premier League games at Newcastle on Tuesday night, but Dyche feels his players have the Eye of the Tiger again.

He said: “We’re back to that ‘take on anyone’ - one of our biggest weapons has been that relentlessness to take on anyone in the division.

“We’ve had some big results, and that’s the mindset we want to achieve.

“Every game in the Premier League is tough, every team has earned the right to be in there and is fighting for a different reason.

“Ours is to keep going, keep that ‘one game at a time’ mentality, because we’ve gone back to that and it’s given us a lot of clarity, and we’ve been performing from that.

“We’re ready and want to take that game on, and that’s come back strongly.

“No matter who we play, that edge and relentlessness to play hard. That’s growing again.”

The Clarets are unbeaten in five home games since the Everton setback, and Dyche noted: “Any form is important, but statistically home form is particularly important.

“Early season we came out of kilter, but latterly we’ve been strong again.

“But historically through the Premier League, particularly the teams outside the super powers, home form has been important.

“But the pitch is now the same size, they have to be, no one wants home advantage anymore!

“You have to have your 33mm of grass, some say it favours the elite, I wouldn’t want to join in with that debate of course...”

Turf Moor was rocking against Spurs, driving the side on to win after Harry Kane’s controversial equaliser, and Dyche added: “I must say, if ever there’s a crowd deserves credit, whatever happens from here on in, ours do, because it’s not easy when you’re having a tough beginning of the season, like we had, to stand strong with your team, and they have.

“There’s always a few noises and the keyboard warriors, but generally there’s been a good vibe at Turf Moor about what the team are trying to produce.

“All I ever promised was sweat on the shirt, and I think they’ve seen that, a team still playing - not as well, as individuals and a team, but their reward has been the performances getting better, results better, and the energy in the crowd is getting stronger and stronger.

“They know we need it and it’s a powerful force because they’ve felt it, we’ve won titles and they’ve seen European football.

“So that’s the glue that holds it all together. They’ve been fantastic.”