Burnley boss Sean Dyche feels their slow start to the season is due to the Europa League.

The Clarets lost 4-2 to Fulham just three days after a 3-1 loss away at Olympiakos in Greece, and Dyche admitted the 'noise' surrounding his team's involvement in Europe affected his team's performance at Craven Cottage.

He told talkSPORT: “It's hard for the players because they constantly get a barrage of 'too many games and 'Europa' – they looked a little bit flat today.

"All the outside noise just took an edge off our performance today and it did a little bit against Watford.

“There is a constant feeling that the message is: 'too many games', and it is a lot of games.

“There is a lot of travelling as well. But that's where you've got to be mentally tough.

“It is new to them, it's a new challenge for all of us – the recovery periods, the fact we've got another big game coming. It's how we take on that challenge."