WHEN George Boyd strode in to speak about the Boxing Day clash with Liverpool, he probably did not foresee that a few minutes later he would be strenuously denying he was a better manager than Brendan Rodgers.

Last time the Burnley midfielder spoke to the media at Gawthorpe he was quizzed about his favourite sweet.

Fizzy Fangs, in case you’re wondering.

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This time the subject turned to the computer game Football Manager, where fans pretend to manage the club of their choice. Even Premier League players fancy a go, as it transpired that Boyd and his Burnley team-mates have been in fierce competition on the game – managing their Boxing Day opponents Liverpool.

Boyd, though, admits he has now ditched the Reds for his old club Stevenage.

“There are about 15 of the boys who play it, it’s easy on your phone on the train down to London,” he said.

“I think there’s a few of us who chose Liverpool to see who could do the best with them.

“But I’m struggling. I finished fifth, I’m not doing very well.

“I got bored so I’ve gone down to Stevenage now.” Fifth, it was pointed out, is still higher than the position Liverpool currently occupy in real life. Rodgers’ side currently sit 10th, with the manager coming under some criticism this season.

“I’m not saying I’m better than him!” Boyd stressed, keen to make sure a light-hearted conversation was not misconstrued.

“He’s a top manager, he proved that last year with how close they were to winning the league.

“They spent a lot of money in the summer and it will take time.

“They’ve brought a lot of new faces in but you see what a top quality coach he is.

“I won’t be knocking on his door any time soon!”

Despite Liverpool’s poor form this season, Boyd knows the task that lies in front of Burnley tomorrow. The Reds confirmed the Clarets’ relegation from the Premier League on their last visit to Turf Moor, a 4-0 win in 2010.

The gulf in finance between the two clubs is vast, but Boyd knows Burnley have a work ethic to match anyone in the Premier League.

It was recently revealed that Boyd was the holder of the Premier League record for the furthest distance run in a match this season – 8.29 miles in the 2-1 win at Stoke City.

A dedicated training regime helps – as does being kept on his toes by his children.

“I’m just lucky naturally, but three kids probably helps,” he said.

“I have two twin boys and a little girl, they’re 10 months and three.

“We have that working class attitude here. We’re all from normal families and a lot of teams are finding out now that we’re obviously highest on the work rate stats and distance covered.

“It’s something I’ve prided myself on throughout my career but I think it’s more evident in this team because everyone works so hard.

“You’ve got Barnesy (Ashley Barnes) running 12 kilometres as a striker, which is unheard of.

“The other clubs have spent so much money and we need to close the gap. If that’s the way to do that, so be it.

“We haven’t got £30m to go and buy strikers, so we work hard to close the gap and make it an even playing field."

It is hard to believe that this is the man who once failed a medical, controversially at Nottingham Forest – albeit on that occasion it was for supposed poor eyesight. It does not seem to have held him back since, as he has moved into the Premier League with Hull City and now Burnley.

He has come a long way from his non-league days with Stevenage.

“I think if you’ve been down in the lower leagues you don’t want to go back there so you work even harder to stay at this level,” Boyd said.

“That’s what you work hard for over the years, to play in the Premier League. “I think everyone in the squad at the minute is enjoying it.

“We don’t want it to stop.”