CHRIS Wood believes the battle for places in Burnley's attack is the fiercest in the Clarets squad.

The Kiwi striker has returned from injury with a bang recently, netting three goals in 75 minutes of action off the bench against Everton and West Ham United.

That has taken him to seven for the season but his own explosive form has come at the same time as Ashley Barnes' hot streak, with the 28-year-old scoring in three successive Premier League games.

The strike duo could yet be handed a start in tandem against West Brom next weekend, having scored five together in those 75 minutes over the past two games.

But with Sam Vokes also waiting in the wings having scored twice for Wales against China, and Nahki Wells and Jonathan Walters also part of Sean Dyche's squad, Wood is aware that no forward can rest on his laurels in this side.

"He’s a fantastic player and he’s shown that," he said of Barnes.

"He took on a big responsibility coming into the side and doing well, he’s scoring goals, the manager put a lot of confidence in him and now I’m back hopefully we can play two up top.

"We’ve worked well together in the games I’ve come on and I believe all of our strikers work well together, we see it in training, Vokes and Barnes, Vokes and me, me and Barnes, and then we’ve got Walts and Nahki pushing, it’s the most competitive area of the team.

"We’ve got five very accomplished strikers, all have played in the Premier League and done extremely well for their clubs over the years.

"If you’re not performing or not doing what is needed for the team there is someone else that will do, so it keeps us on our toes but it gets the best out of everybody as well."

Wood's return to the side - via the bench - has coincided with the Clarets notching up back-to-back wins to end a 12 game streak without success in all competitions.

The momentum from that run might be stalled as a result of the 21-day gap without a fixture, due to Burnley's FA Cup exit and the international break.

Wood said: "It’s interesting whichever way you look at it.

"You win two on the bounce, you look for the third to keep you ticking it over, or you say we’ve done well let’s take a rest, let everyone recover, the boys go off to internationals and enjoy it."

Wood would normally be on international duty himself, but he was rested from the New Zealand squad having only recently returned from injury, putting paid to a potential international clash with Scott Arfield's Canada in Spain.

"It would have been an easy one for me over Scotty I’m sure," Wood joked.

"It’s just one of those things, I’m coming back from injury and giving it time to settle, I’ve not been able to start since I’ve been back."

Nick Pope and James Tarkowski are on international duty though, having earned their first England call-ups.

"We’ve got some great players experiencing things for the first time, like the boys who’ve gone to England, so it’s fantastic in that sense. They’ll be over the moon when they come back," said Wood.

"I do believe they both deserve to play. Popey has been outstanding this season, he’s probably been the best keeper in the league, he’s the most in-form England keeper at the moment.

"Tarky’s having a fantastic season, not many people are staking a claim for being England centre halves so I think he’s got a great shot of putting his name up there and hopefully taking his chance."