Frank Lampard slams claim of Leeds United's relegation rivals Everton being 'let off the hook'

Leeds, Everton and Burnley are all battling for Premier League survival in the division's bottom five and third-bottom Burnley raised eyebrows on Friday by announcing that long-serving manager Dyche had been sacked.

Dyche had been in charge for ten years and had consistently kept the Clarets up, even steering the Turf Moor outfit to a Europa League qualification place through a seventh-placed finish in 2018.

Burnley were relegated under Dyche back in 2015 but the Lancashire outfit stormed to immediate promotion as champions the following season and the Clarets have been a top-flight outfit ever since.

Despite the club sitting in the drop zone, the decision to axe Dyche was met with widescale criticism, under-23s boss Mike Jackson placed in temporary charge and assisted by Academy director Paul Jenkins, under-23s goalkeeping coach Connor King and club captain Ben Mee.

But the Clarets took a 1-1 draw from Sunday's clash at West Ham United in the first game since Dyche's sacking and Lampard said Burnley's decision could not be seen as advantageous for his side.

Asked what the sacking of Dyche might mean for Everton's survival chances, Lampard said: "Nobody knows.

"Firstly, Sean Dyche has been an incredible manager of the club.

"With what he has done in the period that he has been there, I think there has been quite a universal reaction to it.

"But the club have decided to make a change and Sean Dyche I am sure deserves maybe a bit of a rest and then will get a fantastic job because of the level of manager that he has shown himself to be so I wish Sean all the best going forward on that.

"In terms of what happens to Burnley and what it means in this period, nobody knows.

"You can probably go through history and find good reactions from changes, not so good reactions from changes, it doesn't affect Everton.

"I saw a quote this week saying that we are let off the hook that it has happened - I don't see how.

"This doesn't change anything.

"Burnley are a good team. Burnley are used to fighting to stay in the Premier League and that fact will remain the same."

Fourth-bottom Everton are five points behind fifth-bottom Leeds but the Toffees have two games in hand on the Whites.

Lampard's side are three points ahead of third-bottom Burnley who have played one game more than them but one less than Leeds who are eight points ahead of the Clarets.