Sean Dyche could not understand why Michael Duff was sent off as Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League were virtually brought to an end by West Ham United.

The mid-table Hammers won 1-0 at Upton Park, a result that leaves Burnley rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, eight points away from safety with only three matches left.

Since beating Manchester City in mid-March, the Clarets have taken just one point from six matches and have lost their last four games 1-0 – to Arsenal, Everton, Leicester City and now West Ham.

Dyche’s side have failed to score in their six-match winless sequence, which has come at exactly the wrong time in the campaign, and they still have to play Hull City, Stoke City and Aston Villa.

Their cause at Upton Park was not helped by the decision by referee Jon Moss to send Duff off in the 24th minute after the Burnley player fouled Cheikhou Kouyate.

Mark Noble scored from the resulting spot-kick, but Dyche said of the decision to show a straight red card to Duff: “It’s a penalty, but I’m amazed it’s a sending off and disappointed it was a sending off.

“I think there was a stadium full of people who were surprised it was a sending off and I imagine their manager was surprised, the staff were surprised, the subs were surprised, the linesman was surprised, the groundsman and I think there’s a tube station nearby that was surprised it was a sending off…but other than that.”