ASHLEY Barnes insists he isn't fazed by being labelled as an old-school striker and he believes he has plenty more to his game than just being a nuisance to opposition defences.

The former non-league hotshot certainly lets defenders know they're in a game but he can find the back of the net as well, with 13 Premier League goals for Burnley since arriving at Turf Moor in January 2014.

Descriptions of the 28-year-old tend to focus on his battering ram qualities, but the former Brighton striker insists he offers plenty more than that and his rise up the pecking order for the Clarets suggests it's a feeling shared by his boss Sean Dyche.

"I know there’s a lot more to my game and what I do out there," Barnes explained.

"That doesn’t bother me what people say about me as long as I keep impressing on the training field, keep the shirt and fight for my place. That’s all I can do."

Barnes has won plenty of praise this season for his performances, with his display at Old Trafford on Boxing Day analysed on that night's Match of the Day.

But it's Barnes' family who remain his biggest critics.

"My family will always ring me the next day and batter me or whatever," he said. "I am used it. They are my worse critics.

"Whatever they say I have to take on board."

Barnes has four goals to his name this season in all competitions, including strikes at Old Trafford and the Etihad in the past month.

That leaves him level with the injured Chris Wood as the club's top scorer. In total ten Burnley players have found the back of the net this season, but none of them have gone past four goals, and Barnes believes this is a squad that has to spread the goals out to succeed.

"Here we are a squad that all needs to chip in, whoever comes up with the goods is fantastic," he said.

"The main thing for us is to pick up the three points, to finish as high as possible come the end of the season."

Barnes, Wood and Sam Vokes have contributed 11 goals between them from the striking position and while none look like getting to 15 this season Barnes is happy to share them out if it helps the team be successful.

"You dream as a striker you want that many but for one reason or another you might not get them," he said.

"As long as the team’s winning, for me personally, and we keep picking up points that’s what is important."

Barnes' chances of adding to his tally have been helped by his rise above Vokes as the stand-in for Wood. Barnes began the campaign on the bench with Vokes in the side before club-record buy Wood arrived from Leeds United.

But Barnes is now keeping Vokes on the bench and he's determined to do his best to hold on to the shirt.

"It’s frustrating when you are not playing of course. But you have to wait for your chance, and fight on the training field and fight for that shirt," he said.

"Now is my chance and I don’t want to give the shirt away now. Here we are a team. It’s not just relying one person. We all need to chip in, which we have done so far. "