Burnley were on the ropes following the 5-1 defeat to the Toffees which left Sean Dyche’s men stuck in the Premier League drop-zone.

Westwood admitted it was make-or-break time as the Clarets reached the half-way point of the season.

And they have delivered the perfect response with Wednesday night’s battling 2-1 win at bottom club Huddersfield Town making it six points from six since Everton handed out a ninth defeat in 11 games.

“We’ve had a real tough run. We knew that,” said Westwood, who has been in the thick of the Clarets’ revival.

“We said between ourselves the next six games are massive for us – season defining – and we’ve come through the last two exceptionally.

“We’ve got another big one to come. We focus on the FA Cup and then we go again back on the league.

“Boxing Day was tough. Three set-pieces and you’re 3-0 down. In this league you can’t do that.

“We’ve bounced back. We had a good get-together and I think we’ve shown in the last two games everyone has been at it and full of energy, like the gaffer is big on, and the results have come from it.

“It’s not nice when you look down there and see yourselves in the bottom three but we’re not getting carried away.

“There are still a few big games to come, but if we play like that, we’ll be fine.”

Fulham at Turf Moor are next up in the Premier League following Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Barnsley and more bottom-three opposition in the shape of Southampton follows at the start of February.

The Clarets still have little leeway above the relegation places with a just a two-point gap above the 18^th-placed Saints.

But Dyche’s men are firmly back on an upward curve after goals from Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes at the John Smith’s Stadium backed up last Sunday’s slick 2-0 victory over West Ham.

“I thought West Ham we were terrific. We didn’t give them a minute and tonight (at Huddersfield) was tough,” added Westwood, who continued his fine run of form in the middle of the Clarets’ midfield and laid on the 74^th-minute for big pal Barnes.

“They had to come out and win the game, but we rode out the first 20 minutes and then we got playing and got the win and it’s nice to come from behind.

“We said at half-time it’s not easy playing against 10 men. They pack me behind the ball.

“You’ve got to be patient. We said it’s not about winning the game in the next five minutes after half-time.

“It’s about maybe taking it to the last 10 when they’re tired and, like we showed, it was a great goal and something people don’t give us credit for.”

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

Premier League table

Premier League table