Scott Parker uses relay race analogy to describe Burnley's promotion battle with Leeds United and Sheffield United

The Clarets return to action tomorrow off the back of the March international break with a home clash against play-off chasing Bristol City.

With just eight games left, Parker’s side have it all to play for in the fight for automatic promotion, sitting just two points adrift of the top two.

When asked for his message ahead of the final push, Parker said: “We’re at the back end of it now. Everyone has been in this position many a time when you're at the back end of the run in the final straight.

“The baton's been moved around. If you want to reference it metaphorically, in a running track or a relay race, that baton's now got around to the last leg. At this present moment in time, the bulk of work has been done.

“What's important now is, of course, a freshness, a mindset, a mentality, a motivation about us to obviously get to the end of this with an objective trying to be successful.”

With Burnley boasting a 21-point gap to seventh-place, the Clarets can afford to go all out in their bid to finish in the automatic promotion spots.

“That's the aim,” Parker added.

“The aim is for us to try and be successful this year and I don't need to spell out what success looks like for us, because we all know exactly how that looks.

“I stick with it. The one thing that we've done remarkably well this year is a real focus on each game. I think I've been very clear in how I've always addressed yourselves [the media] in terms of not really worrying about points or what other teams are doing.

“Our full focus has always been as a group and as a club and everyone here has been focused on the next game.

“There'll be maybe a few more ups and turns along the way here. This is the way this league is and that's the way the season is at the back end. But we're fully focused on each game and us keeping the momentum and certainly the energy of what we've got.”