Dyche not one for sentimentality on Burnley return

Everton boss Sean Dyche says he is not one for sentimentality as he prepares to make his first return to Burnley on Saturday - but joked he will pop into the pub that bears his name.

His Burnley popularity led to a local pub being renamed as The Royal Dyche.

"People who know me in football, know I don't really go in for all that sort of stuff [sentimentality]," said Dyche.

As well as promotion success, the 52-year-old Dyche had a number of successful battles against relegation before he was sacked in April 2022 with Burnley in the bottom three.

"I always had a big respect and a big connection with the people and the fans because of my time, and the team's time, and what was achieved there," he added.

"To be honest, when the whistle blows, I want to win. That's work time, that is what I am in the game for - to win.

"Before and after I'm hopefully going to bump into some old faces. There has been a lot of change there but there are people I still know there so it will be nice to see them.

"I'll pop in my pub, obviously, and have a few pints."

Dyche was named Everton boss in January this year and, despite a 10-point deduction earlier this season dropping the Toffees into the relegation zone, he has overseen three successive wins to move them up to 17th in the table.

Burnley, meanwhile, are second bottom - two places and five points below Everton.

Asked whether he expects to receive applause from both the home and away ends, Dyche said: "I don't expect anything but I think I earned the right with Burnley fans and I am beginning to earn the right with Evertonians.

"I am willing to earn it, I am willing to put the hard yards in. We'll wait and see."