Sean Dyche leaps to Marcelo Bielsa defence and highlights difficulties that Leeds United face

Dyche and Bielsa have been Premier League managerial rivals over the last season and a half and more than ever this term with the Clarets and Whites chief protagonists in the battle to stay up.

Burnley remain in the division's drop zone and sat third bottom but Dyche's side have lost just one of their last seven league games in their bid to avoid the drop.

Conversely, fifth-bottom Leeds have lost five of their last six and Saturday's 4-0 defeat at home to Tottenham proved Bielsa's last game in charge as Whites head coach.

The Argentine was then sacked after three-and-a-half years in charge as part of a disappointing end to a stellar tenure that saw him guide the Whites to promotion as Championship champions and then a ninth-placed finish upon their top-flight return.

A reversal in fortunes in the club's second season back cost Bielsa his job but former rival Dyche has saluted the outgoing Argentine and stated the case of what Leeds had to deal with during the current campaign.

"It is the reality of the industry - he's a legend at Leeds, a legendary figure and he earned the right to be that with his different way of doing things," said Dyche.

"In my personal opinion, I always found him to be incredibly straight talking and straight minded about the situation so I certainly don't think he will be hurt by it.

"I think he has been in the game long enough to know the realities of it and that is if you don't get enough results or what is deemed enough results then you find yourself in trouble at some point.

"But it's certainly no slight on his work there.

"You have to remember the same guy getting lauded all last season and virtually this season, not by himself it must be said, by people on the outside of the camp.

"I think he has just been doing what he does, he believes in it, he sticks by it and they have had a lot of trouble this season.

"All of us have and I am not going to cry for others.

"We have had our fair share of trouble with injuries and Covid and they have as well and it's very difficult.

"When that kicks in, unless you are the real super power, clubs who have 20 plus international players, it's difficult.

"If you lose the players who have been very effective for you it is difficult but it is still the reality of the job.

"We all know it, every manager knows it and he will certainly know it, if you don't get enough results or what is deemed enough results to be where people think you should be then eventually you pay the price."

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