Scott Parker makes Luton Town statement as Burnley face relegation strugglers for second straight game

Despite coming down from the Premier League together, the two sides find themselves at differing ends of the Championship table with only 11 games to go.

Scott Parker’s men currently sit third in the table and are right in the hunt for automatic promotion, sitting just two points adrift of Sheffield United in second.

As for the Hatters, it’s been a miserable campaign. Currently languishing inside the bottom three, they’re facing the very real prospect of a second straight demotion.

Parker, however, knows his Burnley side are in for another tough game, just as was the case against Cardiff City in midweek.

“It will be similar to the Cardiff game,” he said. “In my eyes, both teams, when I watch them play, are at the wrong end of it.

“But if we don't approach the game the way that I know we can, it will be a tough game for us.

“We're looking forward to that. We'll recover now, rest up. It was a late night for us on Tuesday but we'll recover and prep for what will be a tough game at the weekend.”

The pressure was on Burnley at Cardiff to initiate a reaction after being soundly beaten in the FA Cup at the weekend.

Parker’s men were well off the pace as they lost 3-0 to Preston North End in their fifth round tie at Deepdale.

“We definitely got that reaction,” Parker admitted. “I got it for 90 minutes, not just the first-half.

“We were short at the weekend, mainly just down to us really and just our energy and our principles of what we've become over the course of this season.

“I thought the energy amongst the group against Cardiff, it was just a real professional performance. I thought we looked like a proper team that understood their roles and understood what was at stake and we managed to get the three points.”