Boyd only has eyes for the title

The Clarets, who are two points ahead of third place Brighton, conceded top spot to Middlesbrough when substitute Adam Forshaw’s stoppage time strike handed them victory over Reading at the Riverside midweek.

And Aitor Karanka’s side will have the opportunity to extend the gap at the top when they face relegated Bolton Wanderers at the Macron Stadium in today’s early kick off.

However, with five games remaining, the 30-year-old former Hull City man is confident that the Clarets can be crowned champions.

“There’s five games to go and we’ll take each one as it comes but we know if we win five games we’ll be promoted,” he said.

“We’ll be champions if we win the last five and we’ve done that before with six wins on the bounce recently. We know we’ve got it in us to do that.

“We want the title. We don’t want to finish second.”

Ahead of the clash with Birmingham City at St Andrews, Boyd added: “We’re just concentrating on ourselves. We play (Boro) on Tuesday so it’s still in our own hands. There are five big games, five cup finals and it’s a run that we’re looking forward to.

“We’re not really worried about the other teams because we know it’s in our hands. They’re both in great form and we’ve all got to play each other so there’ll be a lot of twists and turns before the end of the season.

“We know what we need to do and we’ll just take it one game at a time. Five wins and we’re up so it’s in our hands and the pressure is on the other teams.”

Boyd revealed that a ‘clear the air’ meeting following defeat to the Tigers at the KC Stadium on Boxing Day ironed out a few creases and has ultimately contributed to their 18-game unbeaten stretch.

“We had a great meeting as a team about where we wanted to go in the league and we all said that we wanted to win the title,” he said. “We were a long way off that on Boxing Day but I think that shows the confidence within this squad and what we think of each other. So far it’s going well. Not a lot changed we just wanted to get it done.

“There were a few home truths which will stay in the building. It was a disappointing result against Hull, nowhere near what we’re about, and we were a long way off it.

“We were a long way off the top of the league - eight points away from Derby - but we’ve put a fantastic run together, gone back to basics and doing what we’re good at which is pressing teams and our work ethic.

“It was a team meeting which the gaffer took and everyone just aired their opinions.”