Thursday 4 December 2014 18:43, UK
Burnley manager Sean Dyche is delighted by his side's upturn in form as the race for survival begins to take shape.
The Clarets failed to register a Premier League victory until November 8, when they edged out Hull 1-0 at Turf Moor, but have since also beaten Stoke and claimed draws with Newcastle and Aston Villa.
When asked as to his approach, Dyche said: "Most of my messages have been pretty much the same.
"Early season a lot was made of us not winning but I thought our performances were good. I said 'you've got to go even harder than just giving good performances at this level' and I think we've done that.
"We've certainly deserved the points we've got, we arguably should have nicked all three against (Aston) Villa in terms of the chances we created and Newcastle are a good side so we can't be too greedy.
"The mentality is good, it's growing from the fact they're not just winning and getting points on the board, but from playing in the Premier League. That growth is quite apparent at the moment. There's a lot of games in front of us."
The mentality is good, it's growing from the fact they're not just winning and getting points on the board, but from playing in the Premier League.
Burnley have risen to 18th in the table and travel to face the side immediately beneath them, QPR, on Saturday.
Looking ahead to the clash at Loftus Road, Dyche added: "They're back in the Premier League, spent a lot of money and got a very experienced group.
"People are probably surprised where they are a little bit. I'm not suggesting Harry or his men think they should be right up the top of the league but on paper they've got a strong group.
"It just goes to show you how tough the league is. You look at ourselves, QPR, Leicester - all come up, all full of beans, all looking forward to the challenge, different amounts of money, player trading, but all still finding it really tough because it is a very, very tough division."
After Burnley posted positive financial figures earlier in the week, Dyche is expected to bolster his squad during the January transfer window in a bid to avoid dropping back down to the Championship.
He said: "We don't speak about amounts because there's a flexibility within it. It's not a tens of millions market for us. It's not just the fees but there is a wage bill to consider, which has to be carried forward and controlled.
"We are loading up areas that we think need help financially - not just on the pitch but off the pitch. It's finding that balance and there is money available."
