Thursday 4 May 2017 16:54, UK
Sean Dyche says West Brom are a bigger version of Burnley ahead of the visit of the Baggies to Turf Moor on Saturday.
Victory over Tony Pulis' side will ensure Burnley's Premier League status for next term after relegations following their previous two promotions.
West Brom used to be seen as the epitome of a yo-yo club themselves, one who had four promotions and three relegations in a nine-year span towards the start of the century, but they are now on course for a top-half finish in their seventh successive Premier League campaign.
A study conducted this week by analytics group CIES Football Observatory also found West Brom to be the best performing Premier League side based on a correlation between their points total and the transfer expenditure on this season's squads, with Burnley third in the rankings.
And Dyche has been impressed by how the Baggies have established themselves.
"They've shown over many years they're developing; they're a bigger version of Burnley," he said.
"With all due respect to ourselves, I think West Brom are still a bigger concern. They had a head start in terms of their future planning.
"There was a time at the beginning of their journey where they put a lot of money in to get where they've got to. But on an ongoing basis, they've run it more like what seems quite a controlled business.
"We're in the mix. Every club will have their own way of looking at how their business is done. This club's got its own way and I play my part in that.
"It's difficult sometimes, and it's a massive challenge because we haven't got everything that everyone else has got. But I don't want to cry because on the other hand we've got a lot of good things that help teams and clubs be successful.
"We're doing our version of what we think is appropriate to continue the club's development as a whole, not just on the pitch but off it."
Dyche is confident central defensive duo Michael Keane and Ben Mee will be fit for this weekend's clash and said he is optimistic that Stephen Ward and George Boyd will also be able to play some part in the game.
