Burnley’s decision to sack former manager Sean Dyche earlier this month ‘was absurd’, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

The 50-year-old tactician was the Premier League’s longest-serving boss after enjoying a successful 10-year stint in the Turf Moor hot seat before his surprise dismissal.

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Dyche’s sudden exit came following Burnley’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to relegation rivals Norwich City, leaving them sitting in 18^th position in the top-flight table.

The Clarets were also four points from safety and had won just one of their previous seven league fixtures when the popular figure was given his marching orders.

Burnley chairman Alan Pace said it was ‘an incredibly difficult decision’ but that the club’s hierarchy felt ‘a change is needed’ in order for the Lancashire side to retain its Premier League status.

Throughout his decade-long tenure, Dyche recorded two promotions to the top-flight in 2013/14 and 2015/16, but they weren’t his biggest achievements.

In 2017/18, the accomplished head coach steered Burnley to a seventh-place finish, securing Europa League football for the first time in 51 years and their best league finish since they ended 1974 in sixth position.

Burnley achieved another top-half finish in the 2019/20 campaign, but fell to 17th last time out, although they were 11 points clear of the bottom three.

What has Palmer said about Burnley?

Palmer believes Burnley’s decision to sack Dyche will not be justified even if they beat the drop due to his outstanding previous exploits.

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He told GiveMeSport: “I think it was absurd. Listen, is it a good decision even if Burnley stay in the league? For me, no it’s not because I don't think that's how you go about your business.

“If that's how you go about your business, then how many times would Sean Dyche have been sacked by Burnley when they've been in this position, and he's pulled them out of the situation.”

Was Dyche’s sacking unjustified?

According to a report in F365, Burnley had the 17^th-lowest net spend amongst the current Premier League clubs over the last five years prior to the January transfer window.

Only Norwich, Brentford and Watford were below them, with the Canaries and the Bees spending the majority of those years in the Championship.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said Dyche ‘had a bantamweight budget and yet punched hard against the heavyweights for years’, and he surely overachieved during his time at the club.

Burnley’s results have improved since Dyche’s sacking, but only time will tell if the short-term gain is worth it in the long run.