SEAN Dyche believes Burnley are paying the price for being handed a tough Premier League fixture list after their winless run was extended last weekend.

The Clarets haven't claimed three points in the league since a win over Stoke City on December 12 propelled them into the top four.

Since then Dyche's side have draws at Brighton, Huddersfield and Manchester United to show and they have lost their grip on seventh place in the Premier League in the process.

But the Clarets chief believes the dip in results is down to the quirks of the fixture list, with Burnley facing Manchester United twice, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City in the space of less than six weeks.

Dyche insists his side have been hard done to at times in recent weeks while an increasing injury list has also made life difficult for the Clarets.

"There are all kinds of margins. In this run, we have had a penalty not given in a game we dominated (at Huddersfield), we have had a last minute decision on a soft free kick at Man Utd, we have had injuries and suspensions," Dyche explained.

"All of that has to come right as well as performing like that (on Saturday), so it’s not just one thing. There’s lots of things.

"The other thing that you forget, look at the teams we have played, we still have two games to come, Man City, Newcastle is not an easy place to go to, we have played Palace who were on a great run, we have played Tottenham who are flying, Liverpool at home where we have it nicked in the last minute, we have played Man Utd away, Man Utd at home, that’s not a bad list, so you add that into the pot.

"It’s unusual for teams to have it all clustered together like that. Often you get games in between that sometimes bring different results."

Until this run began Burnley hadn't gone more than two games without a win in the league this season, but Dyche believes these types of spells are commonplace for teams outside of the big six.

"Apart from the top six, the stats and the facts are quite clear, this season, hardly anyone in that area has had a tough run at all, every single club outside of that, have," he said.

"This is our first one. The key for me is performances. If we keep performing like that then I think we will look after ourselves."

The Clarets have now suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats, having made a habit of winning by those scorelines up until mid-December.

"It was a bit unlucky," Dyche said of the goal. "Because Ben (Mee) gets a foot on it, Steven Defour just clears it up, he gets a toe on it and it gets a path way (to Romelu Lukaku)

"That was a fine goal and sometimes you have to hold your hands up to moments of sheer quality and that was one of them.

We have done that this season, where we have scored one goal and won it and that is the only frustration, that something that could be stopped ends up (in a goal), but it’s a fantastic finish."