Dyche calls for Burnley to stay strong in face of likely relegation fight

Sean Dyche vowed Burnley will "stay strong" in the face of a likely relegation battle but accepts results need to turn around quickly.

Boxing Day's 5-1 loss to Everton took the Clarets' tally of goals conceded this season to 38, only one fewer than in the whole of last term, and left them three points adrift of safety.

After last season's seventh-placed finish, the contrast is certainly dramatic, and Sunday's visitors West Ham will fancy their chances of inflicting further pain.

Dyche said: "A lot of expectation changes the look of Burnley from last season. I'm not stupid. I know the stats. It was improbable, not impossible but improbable, that it would be the same this season.

"It's always a challenge for us, season on season, getting all those details right at both ends of the pitch, and this season it's been quite obvious that on the defending side of the game, there have been too many details lacking, too many soft goals, too many soft moments.

"You've got to be deadly at one end and safe as houses at the other. And we haven't found that balance. The margins we kept so tight last season always gave us a chance. But, if those margins go the wrong way, you can be out of a game before you're in it.

"We've got to stay strong, really, to our beliefs. That's another key thing, to remind ourselves of the realities, but also remind ourselves of the positive side of what we can do and how we can do it.

"When we play how we play and we do make it awkward for teams, while being a threat, then we've shown we can get results. That's important to remember.

"I believe in what we do, I believe in the squad and I believe we've got players who can be effective, but I equally believe it's got to happen pretty quickly.

"We can't just keep waiting week on week and me saying that performances are improving, even though generally over the last few games I think they have. You've got to turn performances into wins."