THE prospect of back-to-back home games is one that I'm sure the players are looking forward to - especially at this stage of the season when you need as many people as possible on your side.

But, in the run that Burnley are in, you've got to take each game one at a time, starting with Luton on Saturday.

There is always more pressure on the home team in games like this. All the Clarets fans will be going on thinking it's last chance saloon and we should definitely beat them. But football's got a funny way of not working like that.

It would be nice to think we'd win 3-0 and it will be a cruise, but I would settle for a 1-0 win and a diabolical performance, because a win could change the outlook for the rest of the season completely.

For strikers who go through a barren spell, it is common for them to come out of it by scoring one and then going on a run.

Similarly, for teams who have found wins hard to come by, you don't tend to find them losing and losing, then winning one, and losing again.

One win can be a catalyst.

But Saturday is going to be a difficult game. While Luton need to win just as much as Burnley do, they know nothing is expected of them and they can afford to be a bit more relaxed.

Teams who appoint a new manager, like Luton have, always seem to have an upturn in form. They've sold £9 million worth of players and there has been a lot of criticism and disarray.

I wish it was still that way for them.

Plus Marlon Beresford is in goal, and, while I'm sure he has fond memories of Turf Moor, he won't want to be doing anybody there any favours.

Penalty saving was his speciality, and how ironic it would be for Burnley, who have gone so long without one, being finally awarded a spot kick and Marlon saving it.

While the break for internationals will have been frustrating in terms of waiting for the chance to end this run, it will have benefited the four who have been on duty for Wales and Northern Ireland in getting away from the stresses of this domestic campaign.

Plus there has been extra time for the ill and injured to stage a recovery ahead of a crucial run-in, because we need all hands on deck to break the sequence.