SEAN Dyche has warned his defenders to be aware of the threat posed by the ‘old-fashioned centre forward’ Diego Costa today and defended the Chelsea striker from accusations he is a bully on the pitch.

Dyche was full of praise for the ‘tough’ Costa, who has netted 17 goals in 19 Premier League games, a haul that began with a debut strike against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Costa has missed the last three domestic fixtures after being banned for a stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can, but Dyche disputed the image of Costa as sly or a bully, and said he had embraced the ‘rough and tumble’ of the Premier League since his £32million move from Atletico Madrid.

“He has a toughness to him,” said Dyche. “He’s arguably like how we would imagine an old-fashioned centre forward in his mentality and the way he goes about it.

“I quite like that. I don’t think that will ever go out of fashion and he does it very well.”

When asked if Costa was a bully on the pitch, the Burnley boss added: “Absolutely not. He just mans up. He plays in a manly manner that we were used to growing up.

“I am all for the high skill and technical players, but let’s not forget the players who stop that. He doesn’t mind the rough and tumble, he accepts it. He might have a moan, but everyone does, but he just gets on with it.

“It is quite refreshing to see someone come in and grip it, and say ‘whatever the challenge in front of me as an individual I’m ready to deliver’.

“I’ve been quite impressed by that, as much as anything because we’ve seen players who take time which is fine, but he has just come in and embraced whatever it is that is put in his way.”

Dyche believes Costa and David Villa were the two examples of a modern-day centre forward, who is required to have several strings to his bow, rather than being just a target man, or a small, quick striker.

“There is the real strong physicality and know-how to bring others into play and score, or have that real pace and movement so that you are elusive and players can’t quite find you, like Villa at Barcelona – constantly on the move,” he said.

“He did have physicality, but movement, sharp, arguably one the one centre forward who could do everything. He was awesome for a season or two.”

Costa has faced plenty of criticism, both in Spain when he was with Atletico, and in England, for his physical approach, and he was accused of stamping on Martin Skrtel as well as Can in the game against Liverpool.

But Dyche insisted that there wasn’t a slyness to Costa’s game.

“I think there is a maturity to his game,” he said. “This is modern football and that is how it is, whether you like it or not.”

And worryingly for the Premier League, Burnley’s boss believes the 26-year-old Spanish international can get better still.

“Absolutely no doubt he can improve,” said Dyche. “I’m open-minded about my players and I’m 100 per cent sure that Jose Mourinho is open-minded about his.

“You only need players to have open minds and then you’ve got players who want to learn and improve. He certainly looks like a player who is improving.

“When you are young it starts with the real basics. As you get older you don’t forget the basics, like a piano player warming up still playing the scales then he will go into all his tricks and trails.

“When you are young you learn the basics then you start to be flexible and learn new skills. As they get older it’s about tactical changes.

“At 21 you are set with your technique and skills, tactical understanding comes later and physicality and mentality grows.”

According to reports in Norway 22-year-old midfielder Fredrik Ulvestad is training with Burnley.

Ulvestad, who has one cap for his country, is out of contract with Aalesunds so could sign for the Clarets on a free transfer.

Burnley are short of numbers in central midfield following the injury to Dean Marney.