Can Sean Dyche and Burnley really beat the drop this season?

With the likes of Swansea City, Sunderland and Hull City each finding it particularly difficult to assert themselves among the English top-flight this term, could this be the season in which Sean Dyche and Burnley finally set a firm foothold among the upper echelons of the English game – whilst successfully maintaining their Premier League status beyond the 2016/17 campaign?

 

If their recent domestic form is to prove anything to go by this season, then the answer could well be yes! The determined Clarets have already seen off the likes of Liverpool and Everton in recent weeks, as well as impressing greatly last time out against Jose Mourinho’s expensively assembled Manchester United outfit.

 

 

Many Premier League onlookers are now expecting Burnley to survive the drop this season, despite initially singling out Sean Dyche’s Clarets as likely candidates for relegation…

 

So who's going down with Hull? I thought definitely Burnley. But Sean Dyche is every bit as good a manager as Eddie Howe #EPL #MOTD

— We are Brie (@DervidB) 22 October 2016

 

…and after Tom Heaton’s recent heroics at Old Trafford…

 

Burnley. Tom Heaton with the greatest Premier League save at all time. Staying up aren't we #twitterclarets

— Martyn Biddulph (@BiddulphMartyn) 29 October 2016

 

…perhaps Premier League survival remains an attainable goal for Burnley to aim for this term…

 

No way Burnley will go down this season. A team that 'digs in' the way they are doing won't suffer from relegation.

— John Merro (@johnmerro1) 30 October 2016

 

Sean Dyche has also come in for a great deal of personal recognition of late…

 

Not seen the game or read any reports but Sean Dyche is a top English manager on limited resources & Burnley a superbly well organised club.

— Yer Man (@Drawski5) 29 October 2016

 

…and as his defensive back-line certainly showed what they were made of last time out against Manchester United…

 

37 shots. 0 goals. Burnley shut United out. They'll be staying up this season.

— Ken McGuire (@kenmcguire) 29 October 2016

 

…who’s to say that Burnley can’t go on to achieve an outstanding top-ten finish in 2016/17?

 

Burnley reaping the rewards for sticking with a manager. I can think of a few clubs where Dyche would have been out after relegation.

— Ian Hodgetts (@NorthTeesWolf) 29 October 2016

 

As there are plenty of other Premier League clubs currently struggling in and around that dreaded relegation zone at the minute…

 

Hull City and Sunderland are nailed on to go down, can't see anything other than them 2 getting cut adrift, both clubs in a bloody mess ⚽️⚽️

— curtis woodhouse (@woodhousecurtis) 30 October 2016

 

…maybe the 2016/17 campaign ultimately represents Burnley’s greatest chance of maintaining their top-flight survival in triumphant style! Stranger things have certainly happened… 

 

Sunderland certain to go down best chance of staying up and establishing ourselves in the premier league come on Burnley ⚽️?

— Ben Osei (@BenOsei94) 29 October 2016