Burnley striker Ashley Barnes faced the media on Friday afternoon, looking ahead to the club's important run of games.

The Championship table-toppers will be looking to make it 15 league games without defeat this weekend as they had across Lancashire to Bloomfield Road.

They will come head to head with Lancashire rivals Blackpool, with the clubs experiencing differing campaigns this season. 

While The Clarets are seemingly on the verge of automatic promotion back to the Premier League, The Seasiders sit 23rd in the Championship table, four points adrift from safety. 

  • Kompany's Influence

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has assembled one of the most formidable sides the division has seen, implementing a fluid play style onto a new squad. Barnes was full of praise for the Belgian.

"I have loved every minute," said Barnes. "He has taught me so many new things on the pitch, as well as being a leader. He has been massive for all of us in giving us a lot of experience.

"Even just how we play, it is something new that he has been teaching us. His detail is second to none, but it is not just him, there is all of his staff as well. Everyone has been chipping in with hard work and it has been amazing.

"As players we can adapt so quickly to anything. You can play any system, everybody here just wants to play football. You are taught as a kid to enjoy it and that is what we have to do. It helps to be flexible, having a mind like a sponge, but enjoying it is all we can do."

  • Scoring Late

13 of Burnley's league goals have come after the 75th minute, picking up valuable points against Watford and Luton Town in recent games. 

"It is incredible. With the squad we have here, it does not matter who slots in, who plays, who does not play, who comes off the bench, we all have to play our part.

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"That even goes to people who are out the squad but are in the changing room motivating the lads. It is a great atmosphere all around and you know you can score whenever you want to.

"You always have that belief of knowing you can score and you can win, sometimes it does not happen, that is football. We have that feeling every game knowing that we can win."

  • Dressing Room Spirit

The Turf Moor outfit saw a huge overhaul of players in the summer, with only eight of last season's first team players remaining at the club, but Barnes says the new squad gelled together quickly.

"Us old lads have been here for a while, so we had to integrate them and make them feel welcome very quickly. We had to get them into a new group of lads and show them the way that we work, and they have done that with their performances.

"It is difficult when you move clubs, but we are flying high with a great group of lads, so everyone is fitting in well.

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"Some of them have been unbelievable, and that is their own right. As long as they work hard, that is the biggest thing in this team. Everyone around Burnley wants you to work hard, and if you do so, good things will come, we have shown that on the pitch."

  • FA Cup Underdogs

Away from league action, Burnley will face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup, heading back to a stadium where they have conceded 26 goals in their last six games.

"We have been on a brilliant cup run, something the club has not had for a very long time, or at least as long as I have been here. That is the joy of the FA Cup.

"Obviously, it will be a big game with the gaffer being an ex-player there, what a legend he is at City. The noise will be around, but it is a challenge for us. It is something that we look forwards to and hopefully we can go and cause an upset.

"We want to cause an upset. If I can get selected and hit the back of the net then that would be amazing."