Vincent Kompany is confident “things will turn” for Burnley as they prepare for a “massive” Premier League showdown with fellow strugglers Sheffield United.
Last season’s Championship winners and runners-up have found life in the top flight a different proposition, accumulating just two wins and nine points between them to sit in the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s clash at Turf Moor.
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Kompany is adamant, however, his team will never give up.
“That will never happen,” he said. “Maybe you can’t be as fast or technically gifted as the opposition but, in all the time I’ve been here, there’s been a resilience about the place, and that remains.
“It’s a massive game for both teams. It’s part of what you have to face in your career. For those players who take to the field on Saturday, these are the games that make you, that you have to look forward to sometimes.
“There’s no hiding from the results but the team’s been playing really well. I always look forward to seeing them play, they put in a real fight.”
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Former Manchester City captain Kompany reiterated that if they do go down it won’t be due to a lack of effort.
“Behind the scenes, I see total dedication and work rate,” he added.
“There’s a total focus on what we need to do. People are calm, supporting each other. That gives me the feeling that things will turn but it has to happen on the pitch. I want them to be able to pick up the points to show that they’re on the right track.”
The Sheffield United game kicks off an intense period for the Clarets with a further three games scheduled for the next fortnight. Games at Wolves and Brighton precede a home game with an Everton side who are also in the relegation zone following their 10-point deduction for financial breaches.
“I like a crowded fixture list,” said Kompany.
“Going into December, we have to look at them as opportunities. It’s an opportunity to get a run together so I’m looking forward to it. I think there will be teams going into it with more to lose than us.“
