Antonio Conte says Sean Dyche has an easier job at Burnley compared to those managers competing at the top end of the table and backed by bigger transfer budgets.

Dyche has earned widespread praise for his success in steering Burnley to seventh place – they could move ahead Arsenal into sixth if they beat Conte’s Chelsea at Turf Moor this evening – putting them in sight of qualification for next season’s Europa League.

The Lancashire club’s success has been unexpected and achieved on a budget a fraction of that of Chelsea and the other leading clubs. Conte, though, maintains Dyche is working in a very different environment to the managers in charge of the established top six who, he claims, operate to a much broader definition of failure.

“I think he is doing an important job,” said Conte, whose side lie fifth and face a daunting task if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League. “He is doing a great job this season. But if you start the ­season to fight to avoid the relegation zone it is more simple. It is more simple also if you have a small budget because you can count on a team that in the past reached qualification to play again in the league.