Sean Dyche has admitted he made a damning statement about Everton's away form to his Burnley players at half time to help tip the balance in their favour.
The Blues dropped a 2-1 lead at half time in Wednesday evening's trip to Turf Moor to lose 3-2 in what was a crucial match in the battle for relegation. Goals from Nathan Collins, Jay Rodriguez and Maxwell Cornet were enough to win the day for the hosts who moved to within one point of Frank Lampard's side in the Premier League table.
And Dyche following the game admitted that he had highlighted Everton's dreadful away form to his side when they came into the interval behind in the match. The Blues have picked up just six points on their travels throughout 2021/22, with their last Premier League win away from Goodison Park coming at Brighton in August.
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The Burnley manager remarked: "It was a tricky game for obvious reasons, with both sides going into it. It was a very good start for us I thought, we scored a goal, and then it changed from a penalty out of nowhere really.
"We lost our shape, lost our basics. Then they get a second. We spoke to the players at half time just about getting back to the basics really and the bigger picture of their season.
"I think it was six points from 42 away from home, I reminded the players of that. We've been there ourselves, it's difficult to break out of that, it's difficult to find the confidence and belief in games.
"It was for us to go and expose that, and we just about did. We found the moments that count."
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Everton worked their way back into the match and took the lead in the first half thanks to two penalties by Richarlison. The second was awarded after a VAR check, with Vitalii Mykolenko having been brought down inside the box.
Dyche doesn't believe that spot kicks such as that one should be given across the board, but he made clear that he was not picking out any Everton individuals with his comments. Rather, he was questioning the current rules that the Premier League enforce.
He added: "The first one's a bundle, he could run and get the ball but it's modern football. It's not a slight on their players, but my bigger picture about the second one is modern football, you've planted your foot and you could get the ball.
"Players have never ever been more athletic and agile, but seemingly one little tap on the foot and you're gone. Sometimes it is frustrating, they do get given nowadays. I personally don't think it should get given, not when you plant your foot and you could run.
"I don't want to get too far into it, it's the bigger picture is what I'm interested in. They corrected it last season, all fans were pleased with that. I want it to keep where it was, last season fans across the board enjoyed it.
"Those sort of penalties are marginal. Nothing against their individuals, but these are incredibly super-fit machine-like players. They do get given in the modern game. It's not my rules, it's the rules."
