Burnley boss Sean Dyche admits it is getting tougher for his side to compete in the Premier League due to the financial muscle of other clubs.

The Clarets have been the surprise package in the top flight so far this season as they currently sit seventh in the standings, just five points off the Champions League positions.

Liverpool are the team that currently occupy the final qualifying spot for Europe’s premier club competition and they have recently confirmed they will be signing Virgil van Dijk for a reported £75million when the January transfer window opens.

That fee is around five times larger than Burnley’s record transfer and Dyche admits it is getting “harder and harder” to compete.

He said: “Nothing is impossible in football but sometimes probability outweighs possibility. The way it is going it is harder and harder.

“With Liverpool you have someone spending £75m on a centre-back and there are not many clubs who can compete with that.”

Despite his realistic outlook, Dyche still believes that any result is possible in the Premier League and insists the Clarets will continue to strive for success.

“If you are buying in the highest end of the market constantly, in any walk of life, there is a fair chance it is going to operate in a higher fashion,” the 46-year-old added.

“But the marvel of the Premier League is you can still have one result. Huddersfield beat Manchester United so there are random results which occur.”

Burnley have not secured a top-four finish in the top flight since 1966 and are priced at 67.00 to achieve that feat this season.