IF the Premier League’s battle for survival comes down to who can cope with the pressure best then David Jones is in no doubt the Clarets will be staying up for a second season in the top flight.

The 30-year-old is a veteran of relegation battles in the Premier League, having been through it with Derby, Wolves and Wigan, but he believes there is something different about this Burnley side.

Jones was part of the Derby team that set unwanted records when they were relegated with just 11 points in 2007/08.

When the Clarets went 10 games without a win at the start of this season he was forced to fend off comparisons between the two sides.

But with the club now out of the relegation zone with 17 games to go, Jones is backing Sean Dyche’s side to be able to handle the pressure.

“There’s more pressure with bigger games but I’d back us in these type of games to be able to embrace them,” he said of the Premier League run-in.

“I think the kind of mentality that has been bred at the club means we will be ready and the mentality will be right for those kinds of games so I don’t fear for us going into big games as the season comes to a close.

“We are not dealing with it as individuals. The mentality of the group is ‘we’re going hard, let’s see if you can cope with what we throw at you’.”

Jones believes how side copes with the mental battle will be ‘very important’ of the final few months of the season.

Only five points separate nine clubs at the bottom of the table, and at the moment it looks like being one of the tightest relegation battles of recent seasons.

“ There is a cluster of teams there and there isn’t a lot between them so it will all come down to the mentality and if you can perform under pressure,” said Jones.

“We demonstrated last year the strength of the mentality of the club and the players and the team and that will be key coming into the final 17 games.”

For the second successive weekend Burnley go into a Premier League game as favourites, with fellow relegation strugglers Crystal Palace at Turf Moor.

Former Manchester United youngster Jones, who is keen to pass on his experience of previous battles against the drop, is confident the Clarets can cope with the expectation on their shoulders today.

“I think we will manage it in the same way (as QPR),” he said. “Last season we were favourites in a lot of games and we managed to perform under pressure at vital times. I think that’s the key thing.

“The mentality of this squad is very strong and I feel that we are going to need to be strong again on Saturday.

“Last week against QPR there was a certain level of expectation, when we were at home, to win the game.

“Palace are a very good team. We respect them and it’s going to be tough, but we believe in our mentality and that we are going to be mentally strong enough to deal with the occasion.”