Sean Dyche: There are no worms in my diet

Dyche's former Bristol City team-mate Soren Andersen told a Danish football podcast that the manager's gravelly tones may be linked to a penchant for munching on earthworms.

"Maybe the voice comes from eating rainworms [the Danish term of earthworms], because every time we trained, he used to eat rainworms," Anderson said.

"Yes, he did. It was horrible, I’ve never experienced anything like it. It was like: ‘Whoops, there’s a rainworm’ and then he ate it."

Yet Dyche suggested in his press conference today that the former Denmark striker had fallen for a practical joke.

"Yeah, I also smoke exhaust pipes. I have gravel for breakfast. Those three combined often are the things that keep this voice sounding how it is. It’s fair to say I didn’t actually eat the worms," Dyche said.

"It was a bit of banter I used to have. I’ve done it here and Watford too - that you get a nice, big juicy worm hanging out of your mouth. Look as if you’re chewing it and then spit it out, wash your mouth with water.

"It was a bit of banter and Soren has probably taken it a bit too far, he was probably turning away at that moment. He’s a good lad," added Dyche.

"For the record I definitely don't eat worms and I never did."

Burnley host Manchester United at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.