Burnley manager Sean Dyche said “football is about dreams” after his side moved into fourth place in the Premier League with victory over Stoke at Turf Moor.
Substitute Ashley Barnes struck two minutes from time to ensure the Clarets’ remarkable start to the campaign continued.
Barring the first two days of this season – when not every team had played – this is the highest they have been in the top flight since March 1975.
“It’s a run of results and a start which the fans are enjoying and rightly so,” said Dyche.
“Football is about realities but also about dreams. It’s a tough task for us winning games at this level but, Leicester blew the roof off dreams in football.”
Since 2003, Leicester are the only English club other than Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham to have played in the Champions League proper, doing so after winning the title in 2015-16.
Barnes’ strike – after the ball ricocheted off team-mate Scott Arfield – was one of few clear-cut chances in the match, though Stoke’s Peter Crouch hit the post early on.
Dyche’s side climb into the Champions League places above Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham – who all play on Wednesday – while Stoke stay 15th.
“We found a way to win and a fine goal,” said Dyche. “We’re not the real deal, we’re a side that are improving.
“I keep reality because this division will eat you alive. We’re having a real go at what we can achieve this season.”
BBC Sports