Sean Dyche Praises Burnley Side for Showing 'No Fear' in 3-1 Defeat to Liverpool
Sean Dyche has praised his Burnley side for playing with 'no fear' in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Turf Moor.
The hosts started the game positively, maybe somewhat too positively, with tackles flying in which evidently panicked the visitors and contributed to Joe Gomez leaving the field on a stretcher after only 20 minutes of play.
However, Dyche was impressed with his side's commitment in challenges: "I thought there were some excellent challenges tonight," he told reporters (as quoted by FourFourTwo). "When you think about real challenges, I thought some of the timing of the challenges were superb.
"That's part of that front-foot mentality. You've got to win the ball, you've got to challenge against these boys. You've got to put a marker on the game - not only with good tackles, but also with good play. I thought we were effective. We mixed it. Not effective enough, don't get me wrong."
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Burnley have won just nine points from their opening 15 games this season. Just three of the previous 18 teams to have won nine points or fewer from their first 15 games of a Premier League season have avoided relegation from the Premier League and Dyche was keen to stress he wants last season's Burnley back.
"We've got to get back to being 'us'. We've got to get back to the consistency of being 'us'. The shape was really good tonight, the energy and endeavour. And also the will to win because that was there right the way through the last breath.
"The minimum we wanted was a performance and that was much more like us.
Despite the troubles performing at home this season, the vociferous Turf Moor crowd were behind the Clarets from kick-off until the final whistle.
"The crowd were absolutely fantastic and they are right with us. It all starts with tonight's performance now and that has to be close to the benchmark and we have to build on that."
19th placed Burnley will play once more at Turf Moor as they host Chris Houghton's Brighton and Hove Albion side on Saturday.
