ASHLEY Barnes is hoping his return to goalscoring ways can give Sean Dyche a selection headache this weekend, after revealing he never lost faith in what he could bring to Burnley.

The striker netted his first goal since April in last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Swansea City, but the 27-year-old knows the scrap to lead the attack for the Clarets is a fierce one.

Barnes was the surprise choice to start in Chris Wood’s absence last time out, despite Sam Vokes coming off the bench to score at Southampton before the international break.

The former Brighton man repaid Dyche’s faith with the 15th goal of his Clarets career but knows it doesn’t mean he is guaranteed to keep his place for Sunday’s clash with Arsenal.

“There’s no such thing as having a concrete place,” Barnes said. “Someone else could play ahead of me next week, either Vokesy or Woody.

“Woody was out of the squad due to travelling reasons so he’s got to come back in and we’ve got Nakhi (Wells) and Jonny (Walters) as well.

“We’ve got really good competition for places.”

The Swansea game was just Barnes’ second league start of the season and he admitted he was surprised to get the shirt given Vokes’ cameo two weeks earlier.

“It was nice to get the nod, it was a nice surprise,” he added. “All I can do is keeping working hard in training and if I do that it will hopefully pay off.

“The competition for places, not just us as strikers but throughout the team, is brilliant, you can see it.

“People are getting left out but we’re one big squad, the fight for places is amazing and that’s what we need. We need to to be pushing each other on.

Barnes’ strike against the Swans was his first since scoring in the only away win of last season, at Crystal Palace on April 29.

But he insists he never lost belief in the role he can play for the Clarets.

“It’s been a long time coming, but I believe in myself and what I can bring to the club and the team,” he added.

“If that’s just being that bit-part player at the moment then it has to be that.”