Kyle Walker makes confident Burnley survival claim ahead of Man City return

The experienced defender has seen enough from the first five games of the season to prove Scott Parker’s side can defy the doubters and maintain their Premier League status.

The 35-year-old, who makes an emotional return to the Etihad tomorrow to face Manchester City, admits he’s fuelled to prove the doubters wrong.

“I think we will stay up. We stay up,” he told Sky Sports. “I believe, honestly, there are worse teams than us in the league.

“I believe we’ve shown in the first few games, Tottenham okay we’re here, we just got a bit of a feel of the Premier League. But then to go and beat Sunderland which was a must-win game and hold our own against Manchester United by coming from behind twice, and taking Liverpool to the 93rd minute with a penalty, I think we’ve done enough.

“But that’s the standards we’ve set for ourselves now and we need to turn these nearly moments into the ‘we got there’ moments and cross the line.”

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Walker surprised many by leaving City during the summer to make the move to Turf Moor in a £5m deal.

The England international enjoyed an incredible eight years at the Etihad, where he was a key part of a side that won 16 trophies.

But keeping Burnley in the Premier League would feel just as special.

“Your question just there – why Burnley? – just gives me motivation. Why not?,” Walker added.

“I feel the manager [Scott Parker] had a massive part, of course. I know him, I played with him. He had a massive influence in my decision.

“But family also played a massive part. I moved away for six months [to go on loan to AC Milan] and lived alone, so I wanted to be closer to my family.

"I’ve known Burnley for the best part of two years because my son plays there in the Under-14s, so I’ve been going to the training ground. Vinny [Kompany] was also there, an old mate, and he had the old masseur from City.

“The security even let me park in the first-team [car park] when I went to go and watch my son, so I got little perks of being a player without being a player. The club sold itself to me.

“But I also wanted the challenge that, if we survive this, this is like a trophy for me. This is trophy number 17 for me, just because people are writing us off and thinking we don’t have a chance.

“I love proving people wrong, I’ve done it my whole life. When people doubt me, it just gives me some fuel. I don’t know why, but it just does. That’s how I am as a person.

“Write me off, okay, I’ll just keep going at you until I break you. That’s when I’ll tell you: ‘I’ve proven you wrong’.”

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