by Why Delilah

BURNLEY manager Brian Laws is relaxed ahead of two home games which could shape the club’s Premier League season.

Stoke are the visitors to Turf Moor tomorrow, followed by the Clarets’ fellow strugglers Wolves on Saturday.

With 14 defeats in 15 league games on the road, Burnley know their form at Turf Moor is likely to determine whether they stay in the Premier League for a second successive year.

Laws has enjoyed just one win in eight top flight matches since replacing Owen Coyle, but insists he is not feeling the strain.

He said: “These are not pressure games, although we know and understand what they mean. Pressure games are the last of the season when everything depends on it.

“Have a look instead at the teams who have spent a fortune and are down at the bottom end. They are twitchy.

“The pressure is mounting heavily on them and they are panicking. We should not be panicking. We should be enjoying it and we are.

“Everyone outside of Burnley expects us to get beaten every week, but we have changed that fact.

“We have great support behind us and that gives us a bit of leverage and a great chance. No-one can come here and enjoy the prospect. It is going to be very noisy.”

Laws will monitor Steven Fletcher’s fitness ahead of the Stoke match.

The striker sat out the defeat by Arsenal on Saturday after he suffered a broken hand while on international duty with Scotland.

Laws is keen to have Fletcher available, especially as he has weighed in with 11 goals in all competitions since arriving from Hibernian for a club record £3m in the summer.

However the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will not take any risks with the player ahead of the Wolves clash at the weekend.

Laws said: “We are still not quite sure where we are with Steven. We will take it day by day and monitor him.

“Obviously we want him in the team, but we have to be absolutely sure his mindset is right and he is fit to play. We will make a decision tomorrow on Wednesday.”