End of an era as embattled Burnley sack longstanding manager Sean Dyche

Relegation-threatened Premier League club Burnley announced on Friday they had sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche.

The Clarets are 18th in the Premier League, four points adrift of safety having won only four matches all season.

"Results this season have been disappointing and, while this was an incredibly difficult decision, with eight crucial games of the campaign remaining, we feel a change is needed to give the squad the best possible chance of retaining its Premier League status," chairman Alan Pace said in a statement.

The 50-year-old Dyche, who signed a new contract due to run until 2025 in September, had been the longest-serving manager of any club in the Premier League, having taken charge in October 2012.

He twice led the Clarets to promotion from the Championship and brought European football to Turf Moor in 2018 despite a limited budget, but his side have been in the bottom three virtually all season and last week's 2-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Norwich was a major setback in their survival bid.