Burnley skipper Tom Heaton said he and his teammates want to ‘finish the job’ in securing their top-flight status, starting with this weekend’s trip to Swansea City.
The Clarets are nine points above the relegation zone with 12 games of the season remaining, as they bid to avoid an immediate drop from the Premier League for the third successive time.
And with a host of teams battling to stay up, Heaton insists the club need to maintain the progress they have made in order to stay out of the mire below them in the table.
The Clarets’ captain said "there’s a long way to go, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position – it’s important now we go and finish the job," adding the club "wants to step on here from here, and not just maintain [their recent good form]."
Heaton also mused the team "…wants to get better and improve… and look to get more points away from home," and said "that’s our mind-set, we are looking to press forward and not rest on any laurels at all."
‘We have played some of the top sides and pushed them close’
In securing a deserved point against Hull City in the first of four consecutive away games last weekend, Burnley halted a run of seven straight defeats away from Turf Moor, and Heaton believes avoiding defeat at the KCOM Stadium can help the club push on.
The England international admitted that "early on in the season we perhaps didn't put the performances in and reach the standards we set," but now feels "we have changed that. We haven't picked up the results until Hull but we felt we've been very close."
Heaton added the Clarets "have played some of the top sides and pushed them close… and we are looking to build on that now," and that the squad "have got to a point where we are pleased with the performances," while believing "if we continue to do that and keep moving forward, it will stand us in good stead to pick up more."