SCOTT Arfield believes Sam Vokes can make a swift return to last season’s goalscoring form when the striker gets back on the field for Burnley.

Vokes is getting closer to a Clarets comeback after eight months out with a cruciate knee ligament injury, although he is likely to need several weeks to build up match fitness in readiness for the Premier League.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The Welshman netted 21 times last season before his injury, in a prolific partnership with Danny Ings that produced 46 goals by the end of March.

Arfield knows that Vokes faces a real challenge to find the same form on his return from such a serious injury, but believes the 25-year-old will do just that.

“It’s going to be difficult for him but we see him in training and back on the grass, he’s back training in and around the boys,” Arfield said.

“He’s not fully getting in there and doing everything yet but his touch is back, his power’s back and his pace is back, so he’s nearly there.

“It’s going to be hard for him to get the match fitness. That is going to take the most time.

“But once he gets that I’ve no doubt that he can reach the heights that he did last season.

“For him to come into the squad will be different class.

“There’s no rush on him, there’s no pushing him, he needs to be right and do what he did last year.

“Everyone has got the belief that he can do it.”

Arfield is intrigued by the competition for places that the Clarets will have up front when Vokes returns to first-team action.

Ings has had three different strike partners in the last three Burnley fixtures – with Lukas Jutkiewicz and Marvin Sordell followed by Ashley Barnes, whose goal gave the Clarets their first win of the season over Hull City last Saturday.

It was Barnes’ first league start of the season at Turf Moor and his first goal in the Premier League, having twice hit the bar in previous matches, and Arfield thinks the former Brighton ace is well capable of going on and scoring more.

“I think he will,” the Scot said.

“For Ashley to come in and get his chance against Hull and get that goal, I was delighted for him.

“He always looks close to a goal. He puts himself about, he’s quite similar to Vokesy in terms of his hold-up play and his link-up. He almost bullies players at times.

“For him to get up there and get that goal in his second start - and his first home start - was great.

“With big Vokesy coming back around the corner, Marvin with the pace and power he possesses, Ingsy getting two for the under 21s and big Jukesy as well - his first six appearances were different class - the front players are in terrific form. I think the goals will keep coming for them.

“Jukesy is similarly to Vokesy as well, bullying players and bringing others into it.

“There’s five up there and it’s great competition. There’s an onus on them to score goals but I think it’s important that everyone else chips in as well.”