BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche felt his players put everything in to the narrow 1-0 defeat against Manchester City on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side are now just two wins away from securing a second consecutive Premier League crown after Sergio Aguero's ninth goal in nine games against the Clarets gave the Citizens all three points.

Dyche knows his players couldn't have put more effort in to the game - with their top flight status being secured the day before.

"It was a bitter pill at the end, but City are a top side, so there's no grand statement form me about what might have been," said Dyche.

"Our shape was good, we worked hard and defended diligently, and especially in the first half I thought we delivered a very good performance and there wasn't a massive gulf between the two sides.

"In the second half I warned the players they were likely to increase the tempo and play around the arc and load up the box. We held strong, but then they found a moment."

Guardiola introduced centre halves John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi to ensure City could hold on to what they had.

"We wanted to take the game on and deliver a performance; not for any other reason than to put in a performance and get a result," Dyche added.

"It's nothing to do with the title and who might win it; not from me. I want the integrity of my players playing hard all the time, and I think they've showed that today.

"We kept trying after the goal but couldn't find the clarity in the box and in the final third, but what was refreshing was hearing Pep and their bench screaming at their players to get it in the corner near the end, while they had four centre halves on.

"They were wasting time and doing all the things that some other teams get questioned for. That's not a gripe; I genuinely think it's a good thing to see that even sides like Manchester City have to do that in order to get a game over the line.

"They would have been smelling that banana skin of a last-minute effort, so it's pleasing that we put enough doubt into these sides, even at this stage of the season, to think like that.

It's a big weapon to have in your locker that teams know you will keep going."