STAN Ternent is certain that Burnley will be a first division side again next season.

The Clarets have three games remaining to ensure their survival, starting with a home clash with fellow strugglers Derby County at Turf Moor tomorrow.

They follow that with an away trip to Rotherham before closing the campaign at home to Sunderland on May 9 - but the Clarets boss feels that three points would be enough to keep his side out of the drop zone.

"We need three points from three games, and hopefully tomorrow we will get them," said Ternent.

"I don't care if we get three draws, so long as we get the points, but I am confident that in three games we can get what we need."

The Clarets, who moved on to 50 points with Tuesday night's 2-0 home victory over Wimbledon, would not mathematically escape the clutches of Gillingham or Walsall, who go into tomorrow's games on 47 points.

However, with the Gills away at Wimbledon and Walsall facing play-off chasing Sheffield United at the Bescot Stadium, the Burnley boss feels that his target of 53 points will be enough.

But he knows that opposite number George Burley will be thinking along similar lines after his Derby side moved on to 49 points last weekend with a 5-1 thrashing of Preston North End.

"Derby are one of the form sides at the moment, but whatever their result against Preston, I can promise them that it will be different when they play us," said Ternent.

"Derby have got a lot to play for, but then again so have we, and there has been a buzz about the place of late and perhaps we all feel a little better after getting the three points on the board on Tuesday night.

"But I said Wimbledon was a massive game and now the game against Derby is equally as important to us.

In fact, they will all be massive games until we get the points that we need to ensure that we play our football in Division One again next season."

Ternent will wait over selection as he gives strikers Ian Moore and Dele Adebola, and midfielders Paul Weller and Neil Wood, all the time they need to prove their fitness.

"We will know better tomorrow just where we stand and I will give them the time," explained Ternent.

"They have trained but really we do need to just wait and see if there is any adverse reaction."