'Right direction': Vincent Kompany upbeat about Burnley's performances ahead of crucial Everton showdown

While the Clarets continue to languish inside the Premier League’s relegation zone, they’ve been much more competitive in recent weeks.

They took four points from three games last week, thrashing Sheffield United before battling to a hard-earned point away to Brighton.

Even in the games they’ve lost to the likes of Arsenal, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Wolves, they’ve stayed in games and made life difficult for their opponents.

“I can’t count now how many games we’ve been in games,” Kompany said.

"That was the biggest issue at the start of the season, we weren’t in games. We had 20 minutes, 30 minutes outstanding and then it looked like we could concede four or five.

“The Brighton game was more similar to the Arsenal performance, but we’ve been outstanding in other games where we’ve even been the better team.

“To play against the level of opposition of Brighton, we needed that level of performance.”

Despite Burnley’s lowly position in the league table, there’s an appreciation from the club’s fans that the team are giving it everything they’ve got.

That was evident at full-time at the Amex on Saturday, when Kompany and his players were given lengthy applause by the travelling contingent.

It led Kompany to claim that Burnley’s spirit is of an “elite” level.

“We’re not at a level yet where we can compete every week with teams like Brighton on an equal level,” he added.

“There’s a tremendous belief in me that we’re going in the right direction, but the biggest unique strength – and I put us against anybody – is this is an elite club in terms of the attitude and the standards and habits.

“The amount of belief and resilience we’ve got, it’s not just the players and staff, it’s a special club that really lives.

“You see it when you have results in football, so in moments like this it comes through. But it’s not for no reason that after such a tough start you still see progression, you still see people getting better and I won’t stop.”