In part four of our series analysing the clubs fighting with Albion to avoid finishing 18th, Andy Naylor looks at Burnley

Although Watford have managed to stay in the Premier League in spite of hiring and firing with alarming regularity, there is something to be said for giving a manager time to develop a club.

The four longest servants have all demonstrated the benefits of stability.

Albion's Chris Hughton is fourth in the list, below Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino.

Sean Dyche is second, just 17 days behind Bournemouth's Eddie Howe (below).

The Argus: Over the course of his time in charge of Burnley, Dyche has done a fine job for a club of their stature.

The faith of the Turf Moor hierarchy paid off when they were relegated in 2014-15 and stuck by him.

Burnley went straight back up in the season that Albion just missed out in the play-offs.

They finished 16th on returning to the top flight before ripping apart expectations by finishing seventh last season and qualifying for the Europa League.

That, to nobody's suprise considering the limitations of Dyche's squad in quantity and quality, proved to be a poisoned chalice, with a detrimental impact on their league form.

Burnley took only one point from their opening five games while involved in their European adventure.

It took time to shake off the effects of competing on two fronts.

They looked like the old Burnley in a scrappy 1-0 home win over Albion in December, back to the post-Europe version in a 5-1 home drubbing by Everton on Boxing Day.

That nadir has been a wake-up call. They have gone seven league games unbeaten since then, the latest a 3-1 victory at the Amex.

Therein lies both encouragement and fear. Encouragement because nobody is in better form among the sides fighting to avoid the bottom three, fear because it is still only February and it has taken a sequence of the current magnitude to ease themselves three points and three places clear of the relegation zone.

Can they sustain such impressive form? On the plus side, Burnley are the only team amongst the toilers with seven of their remaining 12 matches at home and they are normally hard to beat in front of a relatively small but vociferous fanbase.

The extra home advantage is balanced by the toughest run-in. Beginning with tomorrow's early kick-off against Tottenham, the Clarets still have five matches left against the top six, including trips to Liverpool and Chelsea.

Burnley are doing well in the 'six pointers'. They have won four and drawn one of the last five against others in the bottom eight.

That augurs well for the games after Spurs, away to Newcastle and at home to Crystal Palace, together with Cardiff's visit in April.

The Argus: Former Albion pair Ashley Barnes (above) and Chris Wood have 13 goals between them. Burnley possess the firepower and nous to avoid a second relegation on Dyche's CV.

Fixtures

Home: Spurs, Crystal Palace, Leicester, Wolves, Cardiff, Manchester City, Arsenal.

Away: Newcastle, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Everton.

Form

Unbeaten in seven, won three of last five at home.

The good news

They are scoring goals.

The bad news

Tough fixtures.

Key Player 

Former Albion striker Ashley Barnes has scored five goals in his last nine games, including his penalty at the Amex. He thrived at the end of last season (six in ten).

Current position

15th.

Predicted finish

16th.

Tomorrow Crystal Palace