Sean Dyche is confident Burnley’s track record for digging themselves out of trouble will serve them well in their latest fight for Premier League survival.
On more than one occasion since they returned to the top flight in 2016, the Clarets have found themselves scrapping for their lives before easing across the finishing line and Dyche, who has also guided the club to two top-10 finishes, is convinced that know-how will come in handy once again this season.
He said: “I suppose the difference is that experience gives you more belief because our players have experienced these tough spells, they’ve experienced the Premier League and how tough it can be at times.
“But equally, they’ve experienced the turnaround, they’ve experienced how we’ve turned that around, the things we have to continue doing and then add things on.
“We’ve done that on a number of occasions, so that experience is helpful, I would say, over a season’s work.
“It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s helpful to have that in your locker, and we’ve got a group here, including myself and my staff, who have all experienced these times and we all believe there’s a way that we work and how to come out of these times.”
Burnley entertain West Ham on Sunday desperate to bounce back from their disappointment on Tyneside last weekend when they became the first team to lose to Newcastle this season.
That left them in the relegation zone and three points from safety, a situation they will do well to remedy when the in-from Hammers head for Turf Moor on the back of their impressive 3-2 win over Chelsea which helped depose the Blues as leaders.
Dyche, who has doubts over defender Ben Mee and striker Maxwel Cornet, said: “It was a massive result against Chelsea. They’d just had their first little quiet spell, by no means a poor spell, just a bit quiet from their early-season form, but then of course you beat Chelsea and it all looks different.
“They’ve become a strong outfit, particularly this season, and fair play to them. The fact is we play a lot of strong outfits in the Premier League, everyone is a challenge no matter where they are in the division, so we’ve got to be ready.
“We will be and we’ll be ready to take it on. They’re having a good season, but we’re not far away either, I believe.”
