SEAN Dyche has hailed European qualification as a 'fantastic achievement' - if Burnley get there.

The Clarets chief was refusing to count his chickens despite the goalless draw with Brighton at Turf Moor moving his side to the brink of a Europa League place.

Dyche admitted his side were below the best in their second stalemate of the season with the Seagulls, but with Leicester City losing Burnley are as good as qualified for the Europa League, with Everton needing to win their remaining two games, the Clarets suffer two defeats and the Toffees benefit from a 15 goal swing.

“I've just found that out, I hadn't looked at all the results, just a few chats on the way," Dyche said after the game.

“We've still got to make it so effectively, then it's a fantastic achievement if we get there.

“You’re implying strongly, and I agree, there's a massive swing involved."

Dyche said of the Clarets' performance against Brighton: "We weren't as good as we can be, a long way from it at times, but the habits were there, the will to play was there, we were just short of quality.

“It's hard to sit here on a soft performance to question the players over the season, they've been absolutely fantastic and they've earned the right.

“The points we've got on the table in the Premier League, you can't cheat that.

“You can have a lucky spell but you can't be lucky all season. It takes organisation, delivery of performance, the mentality to take on each game, and we’ve had that in abundance."

The Turf Moor boss also felt the disappointment at failing to beat Brighton shows how far his side have come this season, with the point taking Burnley to 54 for the campaign.

"That’s how far we’ve come that we end up disappointed in that," he said. "Only because I know the players can perform at a higher level, but, we never really looked in any trouble.

"They had a really good start to the second half, and a little at the end, but they’re searching for something as well, don’t forget.

"A point to them will feel massive. Popey had one good save to make, and we haven’t questioned them much either, couple of set pieces, couple of close things, but a bit of an off game.

"It's strange, I'm questioning these things, because our season has been so strong, we just came away from what we’ve been doing."

Burnley saw two penalty appeals for handball against Lewis Dunk and Bruno waved away in the first half as the Clarets wait for a Premier League penalty goes on.

The last time Dyche saw his side awarded a spot kick in the top flight was on April 21, 2017, in the defeat at Everton, and he admits he has given up hoping for a decision to go Burnley's way.

“There is no point in me talking about penalties," he said. "Cartoon capers, someone just sneaks a club out on someone's head, we might get one then, but they might not see it.

"Eventually we'll get a penalty you imagine."