Burnley have gambled on their Premier League survival by sacking Sean Dyche without an immediate replacement lined up.

Last weekend, Dyche’s side lost to bottom-of-the-table Norwich City to leave them four points from safety, despite a morale-boosting win over Everton four days earlier. 

He was dismissed on Friday morning after nine-and-a-half years of service, which the club described as one of the most successful eras in their history in the statement confirming his departure. Under Dyche, the club have spent seven of the last eight years in the top flight. 

The 50-year-old was contracted until 2025 and is expected to receive one year’s salary, worth upward of £3.5million, in the terms of his departure. Despite almost a decade in the job at Turf Moor, there are no plans for a sabbatical and Dyche will be in the running for jobs in the summer. 

When ALK Capital took over the club last season, Burnley chairman Alan Pace said of Dyche that he “would love him to be here for as long as he wants to stay”. At the time he had one full campaign left on his terms.

While a new four-year contract was agreed, Dyche’s role also changed compared to the previous regime where he was given more of a say over club matters and was involved in board meetings. With ALK, Dyche was focused on coaching. 

The new owners have made changes to the club with an emphasis on expanding their brand, according to Dyche when he was asked about the changes at the start of the season. Turf Moor itself changed with private boxes available on lease. 

Maxwel Cornet’s arrival in the summer represented a change in transfer policy for the club, with an international forward targeted in an ambitious move. But there was no revolution in the amount invested in players, with the net spend at the club remaining low.  

Dyche talked about Cornet’s arrival showing his team to be taking more risks, although he was never far away from his mantra that relegation “usually ends up being about finance”.