Burnley manager Scott Parker admits his side are ready to take more risk to secure their place in the Premier League next season and that could spell bad news for Leeds United and Sheffield United. The Clarets are undefeated in the league since November last year and have lost just two games all season, conceding an incredible 11 goals from their 38 games.
It's been a campaign built on a tough defence and a defensive approach to matches, with a clean sheet mentality seemingly winning out above everything else. However, there has been a slight change in recent games with Parker's side showing a bit more desire to take chances in possession.
That comes from the fact the risk of losing has decreased with the need for winning somewhat greater. Burnley need just one win from their final eight games to secure their place in the play-offs, with a draw in their next game good enough for Leeds and the Blades to be certain of a play-off berth.
With their play-off position all-but guaranteed, the side know they can take more of a gamble to cut the two point gap on the top two teams, with draws and staying undefeated doing little for their chances of automatic promotion when victories are what is needed. For a side that have drawn 15 games so far this campaign, it is a small but significant shift.
Parkers says the desire to win has always been there, but does admit the pressure is different now. He said; “I think that's probably what the common theme is, that we can risk more now and try and win a game and maybe drop some points. But that's what we do every game.
“That's what we've been doing since the start of the season. If anyone thinks that we're going into games wanting to draw or not win them, then that is not the case.
“We have to make decisions on how you see best in certain games. Of course you do, but the other night (against West Brom) you go into it wanting to win the game. When there's 70 minutes on the clock, you want to win a game. Everything is proactive to trying to win games because if that isn't the case, you won't be where we are in this league table at this present moment in time.
“We'll keep doing what we've done. Like I keep saying, we're in a fantastic place. Points tally at this present moment in time is well on track in terms of two points a game. We just need to try and maintain that for the rest of the season.”