We’ll keep playing to our strengths - Kightly

Winger Michael Kightly believes the ambition and conviction of his team-mates will be rewarded with Premier League survival.
Burnley's Michael Kightly in action during todays match  

Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport

Football - Barclays Premiership - Chelsea v Burnley - Saturday 21st February 2015 - Stamford Bridge - London

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.comBurnley's Michael Kightly in action during todays match  

Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport

Football - Barclays Premiership - Chelsea v Burnley - Saturday 21st February 2015 - Stamford Bridge - London

© CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.com
Burnley's Michael Kightly in action during todays match Photographer Craig Mercer/CameraSport Football - Barclays Premiership - Chelsea v Burnley - Saturday 21st February 2015 - Stamford Bridge - London © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - [email protected] - www.camerasport.com

The Clarets, who clawed back a two-goal deficit to claim a point against champions Manchester City at the Etihad in December, secured another crucial point at Stamford Bridge to throw a spanner in Chelsea’s title charge.

The 29-year-old, replaced by Sam Vokes nine minutes after Nemanja Matic was dismissed by referee Martin Atkinson when retaliating to an Ashley Barnes challenge, celebrated from the sidelines as Ben Mee levelled from Kieran Trippier’s corner.

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“It’s a good point,” he said. “For any team to come here and pick up a point, or something else, is very good. We’re really pleased. Sometimes you can come here, get everyone behind the ball and lose anyway. You might as well have a go. That’s how we look at it.

“We probably did that a little bit against Arsenal but we looked at that and quickly realised that isn’t the way we play and that’s not how we got in to this league.

“We’ve shown that today and we showed that against Man United. That’s what we do; we try to press teams and we want to get on the front foot. That’s when we’re at our best.”

Kightly added: “Those are our strengths, that’s how we want to play, and if we try to play any other way then we’ll be playing in to the hands of our opponents. We looked at the way Bradford played and tried to do the same.”

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Kightly’s previous trips to the stadium had ended with defeat. A Michael Essien brace and further goals from Florent Malouda and Joe Cole had condemned Wolves to a heavy loss in 2009 while Ashley Cole’s late strike punished Stoke City in 2012.

Kightly, who returned to Sean Dyche’s starting XI after midfielder Dean Marney was ruled out for the remainder of the season, said: “It’s nice to be back playing because it’s been a bit frustrating this year.

“I haven’t played as much as I would have liked. I’m obviously disappointed with Dean Marney’s injury, which I don’t like to see, but it’s allowed me to get in to the team. It’s up to me to take that opportunity now.”

He continued: “I’ve been here a few times before but when I’ve come here with previous teams we’ve sat behind the ball. We didn’t do that today and I really enjoyed it.

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“It’s a massive point but we need to make sure that we carry it on. The last two performances have been very good and if we keep playing that way then I’m sure we’ll be okay.”

The Blues, in the last 16 of the Champions League, had beaten London rivals Arsenal and Spurs comprehensively on home soil this term. Kightly insists that the stalemate, married with recent performances, shows that the Clarets belong at this level.

“We’ve definitely shown we belong, we believe in it as a team and as a squad,” he said. “We need to start winning games and picking up points. It’s been great but we need the points.

“We definitely don’t want it to end. We worked so hard last year to get here, to come to stadiums like Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford. It’s great and we want to do it again next year.”

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Ahead of the weekend clash with Swansea City at Turf Moor, Kightly added: “It’s massive, every game now is massive. They’re on the back of a good result so they’ll be full of confidence themselves.

“We’ve got a strong belief in our squad that we can win games and we’ll look to go on and do that.

“If we can build on recent performances we know we’ll pick up points. Hopefully come the end of the season we’ll have enough to stay up.”