Goal machines face off at the Turf Moor

Goal kings: Danny Ings celebrates his goal with Charlie Austin, on his last appearance for Burnley in the pre-season friendly with Sparta Rotterdam

But Burnley top-scorer Ings hopes he can outscore former Claret Austin on his return to Turf Moor tomorrow.

Ings has stepped up to the plate after the sale of Austin to QPR, scoring 11 goals in 15 appearances, with Sam Vokes also chipping in with eight in a prolific partnership.

Meanwhile, Austin, who netted 28 goals for the club last season, has seven in 13 for the Rs, including six in his last six games.

Austin is coming good for the promotion favourites after a sticky start, netting only once in his first seven appearances.

He made a similarly slow start to life at Burnley, albeit injury-hit, before scoring goals for fun.

And Ings always expected his mate to do what he does best: “It doesn’t surprise me because I know Charlie will score at any level.

“It’s important that our defence is tight if we want to keep him out.”

The pair remain good friends, sharing the same representative, and Austin was among those contacting Ings to congratulate him on his recent England Under 21 call up.

Ings said: “We’ve stayed in contact.

“We’re good personal friends and we’ve got the same agent.

“It will be good to see his face because I’ve not seen him for a while.

“He said congratulations and that I deserved the call up, which is nice of him.

“We get on really well off the pitch and it was a shame to see him go, but that’s football.

“You go your different ways and now we’re facing him.”

But although there is a healthy competition in terms of goals between the pair, Ings doesn’t see any similarities in their games otherwise: “To be honest I don’t see me and him as competition because we’re different sort of players.

“I like to come short and create goals as well, whereas if you put any cross into the box, you know Charlie’s going to be on the end of it.

“I think that’s where we differ and why we get on as friends so much, because he doesn’t see me as competition either.

“It’s just a friendship and we want each other to do well.

“But hopefully I do better than him on Saturday!”

Follow @BXSport on twitter!