Sean Dyche working his Burnley magic again

Burnley are still in the relegation zone but the mood is much improved from six weeks ago. A run of one defeat in their last seven Premier League matches has lifted Sean Dyche’s side to within touching distance of safety. If Burnley avoid defeat by Leicester City on Tuesday they will be out of the relegation zone for the first time since October.

The situation was beginning to look bleak after the Clarets lost 3-1 to Leeds United on New Year’s weekend. They were only two points adrift of 17th spot after that defeat at Elland Road, but a record of one win in 17 games did not exactly inspire confidence in Burnley’s ability to avoid the drop. Yet despite that barren run, no one at the club lost faith. From Dyche and his coaching staff to the players and the fans, Burnley made sure they did not panic.

The recent uptick began with a 0-0 draw at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s men had numerous chances on the day, but Burnley defended resolutely to keep them out. The visitors to the Emirates Stadium did not fashion many opportunities of their own, but Dyche was delighted with the grit and determination his players showed.

Two more draws followed, as Watford and Manchester United were both restricted to a point at Turf Moor. A third consecutive home game ended in a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool, but Burnley were hugely unfortunate to depart empty-handed. The hosts were the better team in the first half and deserved at least a point on the balance of play.

Burnley’s performances had clearly improved, but a second win of the season continued to elude them until a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion just over a week ago. The Clarets were clinical at the Amex Stadium, scoring three times without reply. A 1-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur was arguably even more impressive, and Burnley once again showcased their battling qualities in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend.

Dyche was the first to admit that his team were below par in the opening 45 minutes at Selhurst Park. Palace led 1-0 thanks to a Jeff Schlupp goal and looked the more likely to score the second of the game. Yet Burnley hung in there and restored parity early in the second half, Luka Milivojevic turning the ball into his own net from Aaron Lennon’s cross.

Both teams had chances for a winner. Wilfried Zaha forced a save from Nick Pope and then hit the post in the same move. Wout Weghorst saw his bullet header pushed over the bar by Jack Butland. The Dutchman later had a goal chalked off for offside, while Palace failed to capitalise from several dangerous low crosses.

“The mentality is firm and there were a lot of good performances,” Dyche said after the match.

“We played a bit sluggishly, slow and played too many backwards passes in the first half. In the second half we really applied ourselves to try and win the game. We just needed to be a bit sharper and a bit crisper. Historically we are strong in the second half of the season and we have shown that today.”

Dyche was right to point out Burnley’s tendency to improve as a campaign wears on: in each of the previous three seasons, Burnley took more points from gameweek 20 to 38 than one to 19. They look set to do so again this term and will fancy their chances of getting a result against Leicester in another rearranged fixture in midweek.

Whereas Burnley and Newcastle United have momentum in the battle to avoid the drop, the likes of Brentford, Leeds United and Everton are struggling for form. None has yet dropped into the bottom three, but there will be concern in west London, West Yorkshire and Merseyside as the business end of the season draws nearer.

Burnley, conversely, have the bit between their teeth. Dyche’s side know what it takes to survive in this division. Few would bet against them preserving their Premier League status once again.

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