Sean Dyche expects a response against Everton
Burnley boss Sean Dyche has every confidence his side can bounce back from two consecutive defeats when they host Everton.
Dyche admitted last week's 3-1 defeat at Southampton was one of their poorest displays of the season but pointed to other big performances as proof that they can turn around their recent slide.
A 2-0 win over Everton's rivals Liverpool in August and a recent unfortunate defeat to Arsenal at Turf Moor boosted belief levels which Dyche feels were hardly knocked by the loss at St Mary's.
Dyche said: "We've spoken about the mental aspect of what it is to be in the Premier League because that's sometimes as important as the tactics - knowing how to handle yourself and play on these big occasions.
"We've had three games on Sky in the last few weeks and we've done very well - we won at Watford and we deserved something against Arsenal but it was taken out of our hands.
"Southampton was the first time this season that we've really come away from our performance level and realistically when you're a team like us still learning about the Premier League, it's likely you're going to have the odd bump in the road.
"We've got to make sure it is just a bump in the road. I think our performance levels over time have earned us a result and we came away from that against Southampton."
Dyche went on to reject the suggestion there is increasing pressure on his side to perform at Turf Moor, where they have claimed every one of their seven points so far this season.
"I think there is pressure on us regardless of whether we are home or away," added Dyche.
"But there is also a reality to what we are and the market we're in. Our fans know that but they also know we give everything to the cause and I think that has been evident."
Burnley will be without influential Belgian midfielder Steven Defour, who picked up at hamstring injury at Southampton, but Dyche is hopeful he could push for a return in time for next week's trip to Old Trafford.
Ashley Barnes is also nearing recovery from a hamstring strain while Andre Gray serves the final game of his four-match suspension for historic social media posts.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has praised Maarten Stekelenburg for responding to his critics in the best possible manner.
Stekelenburg found himself under the microscope in his native Holland after he let in a long-range effort from France's Paul Pogba during the international break.
But if there were any concerns over the 34-year-old's frame of mind upon his return to Merseyside, they were put to one side in emphatic fashion against Manchester City last Saturday.
Everton salvaged a 1-1 draw but would have been soundly beaten had their number one not saved penalties from Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero before pulling off a pair of brilliant saves in open play from the same City duo.
"He had some criticism in Holland, okay but he turned around the situation," Koeman said ahead of the trip to Burnley.
"It's not normal to save two penalties in the same game. What he showed last weekend was fantastic.
"In football the position of goalkeeper can change very fast. He's confident and working hard.
"It's important to have a good goalkeeper winning points for your team."
Everton showed their faith in the former Southampton and Fulham stopper by naming him first choice following his arrival this summer, declining to move for England's Joe Hart when City made him available.
Hart's loan move to Torino is not expected to become a permanent one but Koeman offered no indication that his interest would be piqued in January.
"I can't do anything about speculation," he said. "We are not doing anything about that at the moment.
"I am happy with (my) two goalkeepers."
Everton expect to see much more of the ball at Turf Moor than they did against Pep Guardiola's table-toppers last time out.
Ross Barkley can expect a return to the starting XI but has been challenged, alongside the likes of Gerard Deulofeu and Yannick Bolasie, to share the attacking burden with six-goal top-scorer Romelu Lukaku.
"Of course you like to have more players scoring goals in your team," Koeman said.
"The productivity of only one player is very high, Romelu. Players around him need to show more productivity.
"We need to score more goals."
Leighton Baines has suffered a fresh setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury but Aaron Lennon is ready for duty.
Source: PAR
