Burnley manager Sean Dyche has admitted the emergence of Nick Pope completely caught him by surprise.

The towering goalkeeper stepped in for Tom Heaton when he went down with injury earlier in the season. But Heaton has been kept out of the side since returning due to Pope's impressive performances.

"No, I think he's done very, very well," said Dyche. "I expected him to come in and do well enough but I think he's done even better than I thought.

"That's not because I didn't think he was a good goalkeeper, it's because it's very difficult in the Premier League, it's difficult to judge which players can go straight in.

"There's some who you think over time will be a very good Premier League player, but they have to come in and out a little bit, I think Charlie (Taylor) is like that.

"Others take it and get on with it and it works for them and Popey has done that, he's come straight in and he's delivered."