Saturday 31 December 2016 19:58, UK
Sean Dyche believes Andre Gray can only get better after the Burnley striker netted a hat-trick in his side's 4-1 win over Sunderland.
The Clarets equalled their joint-biggest Premier League victory with a demolition of the Black Cats, as Gray scored a 22 minute treble - his and Burnley's first in Premier League history.
A seventh home victory of the season was rounded off by Ashley Barnes' penalty as Burnley moved up to 11th, nine points clear of the 18th-placed Black Cats, who claimed a consolation through Jermain Defoe, but it was Gray's afternoon.
"He's still a work in progress and he can only add to his confidence level and belief playing at this level," Dyche said.
"I don't think any player just arrives in the Premier League and you just roll out there and learn instantly, some but not many. It takes time.
"I've said about people like Steven Defour still adapting to what the Premier League offers and Andre's the same - he's had an unbelievable journey in the last four seasons and he'll continue to learn. All of our players are.
"He's got that fearless streak in him if he misses. It's like, 'so what? Give me another chance and I'll try and put it away for you'. He's got a real firm mentality."
The victory puts Burnley on 23 points and gives them a real chance of avoiding relegation back to the Championship for next season.
Dyche insists his side's good form doesn't taste not any sweeter when silencing critics, and is adamant the Clarets enjoy doing things their own way.
"The only blot on the performance was the goal that we conceded," Dyche added. "We hadn't given them a lot all game.
"It is a good marker. We got promoted last season, and nobody gave us a chance. That's fine. Here we just like to get on with our own business and not worry too much about what everyone else thinks."
