BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche has praised the response of his side in arresting a run of defeats, and believes getting back to basics was key.

The Clarets recovered from shipping 13 goals in three games against Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham by earning their third clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw with Leicester City.

Before the game, Dyche said he had seen signs of improvements in his side’s defensive performance, regardless of being on the wrong end of a 4-2 scoreline.

Burnley were lauded for their resilience last season in achieving seventh place and a Europa League spot.

It could be said they had become victim of their own success with the way their started this campaign, compared to last, with a hectic run of games that challenged one of the smallest squads in the top flight.

And Dyche said getting “back to basics” helped them to begin to rediscover what they were good at last season.

“Back to basics isn’t glib, it’s relevant, because we had to look at that – do you run before you can walk?,” he explained.

“Let’s walk first, make sure we’re doing all the fundamentals of what the team does to operate, to get back to a performance.

“There were some not there, there’s still more to come, but it was more solid, the organisation, the shape, the energy of the team, the will, the desire, all the things we’re well respected for,” added Dyche of his side’s performance at the King Power Stadium in their last game before the latest international break.

“And there were some good moments of play as well, I still think we can improve with the ball, I still think we can add that cutting edge, when we get in the top third.

“We got into some really good positions, and didn’t quite find that pass or that touch, so that can come. But there are good signs, and I’m very pleased with the players.

“It’s easy to be pleased when things are going well, but when they’re not, the work you’re putting in, the diligence, particularly on a day when the result was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.”

Dyche said there had been plenty of work done in training to get them back on track, and not just physically on the training pitch but also verbally.

“There’ve been a few reminders about the organisation of the side, reminders of what we’re about, and the players also, their responsibility, their feedback,” said the Burnley boss.

“The thing about football is, I’ve said this all season, we’re not where we were, but we are getting there.

“The margins are not as big as you think sometimes, they’re super-tight.

“You do sometimes forget that.”

And with two of their last three defeats coming against Manchester City and Chelsea, Dyche pointed out just how difficult it is to take points off the big clubs.

“There was a stat, about the main top six - if you like, the top five and add Manchester United into that - and the points they had taken against teams outside that,” he said, before referencing that the so-called ‘Big Six’ have now taken 127 of 135 points available against the other 14 sides this season.

“You’ve got to be realistic, and that doesn’t mean you accept it, but you’ve got to accept some days it is going to go against you, and some days it might be back-to-back when it goes against you.

“It’s how you respond to those challenges, and I think we have responded well, in very tough circumstances.”