Burnley manager Scott Parker is preparing his side for Wednesday night's clash at Crystal Palace
Burnley manager Scott Parker is preparing his side for Wednesday night's clash at Crystal Palace
Scott Parker admitted he must find a way to starting winning games if he is to win back the Burnley fans who turned on him during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to relegation rivals West Ham.
There were chants of ‘We want Parker out’ as the Clarets quickly fell 2-0 down against the side immediately above them in the table, leaving them 11 points shy of safety and still without a win since October.
Burnley are now 16 games without a Premier League win and tomorrow they travel to a Crystal Palace side who ended their own nine game wait for a victory following Sunday’s 1-0 triumph at Brighton and Hove Albion.
While the victory eased some of the relegation fears around Selhurst Park, Parker and his Burnley team can’t afford such luxuries with many saying the Clarets and bottom of the table Wolves are already doomed for the drop.
“The only way in this world that you can turn that around, the only way in what we do, is by winning,” Parker said. “That’s the world we’re in and I totally understand that.”
“We need to try and win to change that around. That’s a challenge when you’re in the Premier League but that’s what we’re endeavouring to do.”
On Saturday, the Hammers scored with their first two shots at goal through Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos and with 26 minutes gone at Turf Moor, boos rained down - but there had been an edginess about the atmosphere even before kick-off.
“We’re disappointed and deflated, Parker said. “In the first half we looked fragile, we looked edgy. The whole environment at certain moments was testing for the players.
“I think they have two shots on target and they score both. In that moment the stadium obviously becomes a little bit edgy as well and I think that reflected on the players.
“When you’re hearing the level of open criticism it obviously affects us. We need to blur that out a little bit.”