Burnley boss Vincent Kompany says he doesn't have time to think about Everton's plight
Everton recently had 10 points deducted putting them at the bottom of the table with the Clarets
Vincent Kompany insists he will not waste any time worrying about Everton's predicament as he tries to find a way to turn around Burnley's worrying run of defeats.
Everton have been hit with an unprecedented 10-point penalty for breaching the Premier League's financial rules, plunging them into the relegation zone level with basement boys Burnley on four points, but have said they will appeal against their punishment.
Although the decision has the potential to change the shape of the relegation fight, Kompany said it was of no interest to him.
"It's the way I am as a person," Kompany said. "I tend not to pay attention to anything I can't control. This is not something I can control.
"Quite frankly, I think in terms of results we're not in any position to look at anybody but ourselves...
"My focus has been on turning performances into results because that's the only thing that matters. I guess it's a little bit tunnel vision because you don't get much time to look left or right...
"We're in survival mode and survival mode strips everything down to the bare essentials. That's not part of the things that I can affect so I don't concern myself with it."
The Clarets are among five clubs, alongside Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Leicester, who were given 28 days from last Friday to decide whether or not they intend to pursue a compensation claim over the Everton case, but it is understood they are yet to make a decision.
"I'm not dodging the question, I understand fully, I think the club has got a vested interest in this," Kompany added. "I fully understand there have been discussions at Premier League level and board level but in all honesty it's not even been one second on my mind.
"I'm not going to pretend I'm not aware but it's none of my concern. It's not my job, it's not my task.
"The task I have is way too important for me to get distracted by this...
"My absolute priority is on just keeping this team in this league and showing every day that we can belong here and we can be a good team in this league. None of the attention towards that case will actually help what we need to achieve."
What Burnley need to achieve next is a win over West Ham on Saturday at Turf Moor. Kompany's side have lost 10 of their 12 league games this season, including all six at home, to sit rock bottom.
"I'd hope that being desperate to win is something you always have," Kompany said. "I don't feel like you can ever go into a game not being fully committed to winning games. I'd like to think that is something that really does live in this club.
"But the league has been tough for us. It's just not been easy. Whether we've played well or whether we've had games against teams that are stronger than us. It's a case of adapting to this level still...
"No game is going to be easy and it's still the same mission for us - to try to pick up three points."
No Premier League team has ever taken fewer than Burnley's tally of four points from their opening 12 games, and unsurprisingly they are firm favourites for relegation. But Kompany is ignoring the outside noise.
"When nobody believes anymore I'll still be the last man believing until the end," he said. "It lives within the team and it lives within the squad. I don't think we have to ever doubt that we can put a run of results together.
"It's been details at the moment that have cost us and sometimes individual details, but I see solutions and that's my job as a manager, to try to offer those solutions to the team." Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.